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CIHM/ICMH 

Microfiche 

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Collection  de 
microfiches. 


Canadian  Institute  for  Historical  Microreproductions  /  Institut  Canadian  de  microreproductions  historiques 


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Technical  and  Bibliographic  Notes/Notes  techniques  et  bibliographiques 


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[*• 


JOHN   TODD, 

JOHN   TODD'S    RECORD-BOOK, 

JOHN-TODD    PAPERS. 


pr-.-r.r '-!TTo  TO 


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FERGUS'     HISTORICAL    SERIES,     No.     3i 


JOHN  TODD, 
JOHN  TODD'S  RECORD-BOOK 


AND 


JOHN-TODD  PAPERS. 


Historical  Sketch  and   Notes, 


HY 


KDWARD  GAY  MASON, 

PRESiniNT  OK  THE  Chilago  Historical  Society. 


REPRINTED   FROM 

Vol..  IV,  Chicago  HisroRji^^^i,  ^iowferv's  Collections r. 
"Early  ChicacJ)  iN'iillLLiNois." 


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CHICAGO: 

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1890. 


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JOHN    TODD. 

By  Edward  G.  Mason  of  Chicago. 


JOHN  TODD,  the  first  civil  governor  under  the  laws 
of  Virginia  of  the  region  of  which  the  State  of  Illi- 
nois is  a  part,  was  born  in  Montgomery  County,  Pennsyl- 
vania, on  March  27,  1750.  He  was  a  son  of  David  Todd 
and  Hannah  Owen,  and  was  early  left  an  orphan.  He 
and  his  brother  Levi  came  under  the  care  of  their  uncle, 
Rev.  John  Todd,  in  distinction  from  whom  the  subject  of 
this  sketch  was  known  as  John  Todd,  Junior.  He  received 
his  early  education  at  the  classical  academy  of  this  uncle, 
in  Louisa  County,  Virginia.  This  county  adjoined  that 
of  Hanover,  where  Patrick  Henry  spent  his  early  life.  Mr. 
Henry  was  elected  to  the  house  of  burgesses,  by  Louisa 
County,  and  he  afterward  removed  there.  In  its  courts 
he  practised  law,  and  it  is  probable  that  he  thys  became 
acquainted  with  John  Todd  in  his  youth,  and  his  early 
impressions  of  him  may  have  had  something  to  do  with 
his  after-selection  of  Todd  for  the  important  position  of 
county-lieutenant  of  Illinois. 

Todd  studied  law  with  Gen.  Andrew  Lewis,  and  prac- 
tised his  profession  for  a  short  time  in  the  counties  of 
Botetourt  and  Bedford,  in  Virginia.  He  served  as  aid  to 
Gen.  Lewis  at  the  battle  of  Point  Pleasant  and  in  the 
campaign  of  1774  against  the  Scioto  towns.  In  the  fol- 
lowing year  he  removed  to  Kentucky,  and  joined  in  the 
establishment  of  St.  Asaph  Station.  He  was  one  of  those 
who  met  at  Boonesboro'  on  May  23,  1775,  "under  the  great 
elm  tree  near  the  fort,"  to  establish  the  proprietary  govern- 
ment of  the  so-called  colony  of  Transylvania,  comprising 
more  than  half  of  the  present  State  of  Kentucky;  and 

II-33-I  155 

516625 


156 


EARLY   ILLINOIS. 


was  a  leading  member  of  its  assembly,  the  first  legislative 
body  organized  west  of  the  AUeghanies.  He  established 
himself  at  Todd's  Station,  near  Lexington,  Kentucky,  in 
1776,  and  in  December  of  that  year,  with  nine  others,  went 
through  the  wilderness  to  bring  the  powder  which  Virginia 
had  granted  for  the  defence  of  the  frontier,  from  Limestone 
Creek  to  the  Kentucky  forts.  His  party  was  defeated  on 
Christmas  day  by  the  Indians  at  the  Blue  Licks,  and  he 
narrowly  escaped  death  near  the  very  place  at  which  he 
was  destined  to  fall  a  few  years  later.  • 

In  the  spring  of  1777,  he  and  Richard  Calloway  were 
chosen  the  fir.st  burgesses  from  Kentucky  to  the  general 
asseijibly  of  Virginia,  and  made  the  perilous  journey  to 
Williamsburg  to  perform  their  public  duties.  He  rendered 
efficient  aid  in  bringing  about  the  expedition  of  George 
Rogers  Clark  to  the  Illinois,  in  1778,  and  was  with  that 
famous  soldier  at  the  capture  of  Kaskaskia  and  of  Vin- 
cennes.  This  has  been  doubted,  but  the  fact  is  estab- 
lished by  family  papers  that  Todd  accompanied  Clark  in 
this  campaign,  and  there  is  a  tradition  that  he  was  the 
first  man  to  enter  the  fort  at  Kaskaskia  when  it  was  taken 
from  the  Briti.sh. 

In  October,  1778,  the  general  assembly  of  Virginia 
passed  "an  act  for  establishing  the  County  of  Illinois,  and 
for  the  more  effectual  protection  and  defence  thereof"  It 
provides  that  all  the  citizens  of  Virginia  settled  on  the 
western  side  of  the  Ohio  shall  be  included  in  a  distinct 
county,  to  be  called  Illinois  County.  This  practically 
included  the  whole  region  afterward  known  as  the  North- 
west Territory.  Of  this  county,  the  governor  of  the  State 
was  authorized  to  appoint  a  county-lieutenant  or  comman- 
dant, who  could  appoint  and  commission  deputy  comman- 
dants, militia  officers,  and  commissaries,  and  pardon  all 
offences  except  murder  and  treason. 

On  December  12,  1778,  Patrick  Henry,  as  governor  of 


JOHN    TOUl). 


157 


jislative 
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rnor  of 


Virginia,  by  virtue  of  the  aforesaid  act,  appointed  John 
Todd  county- lieutenant  or  commandant  of  the  County  of 
Illinois.  He  repaired  to  his  new  post  in  the  following 
spring,  arriving  at  Kaskaskia  in  May,  1779.  He  was  ex- 
ceedingly busy  with  the  duties  of  his  government  during 
the  greater  part  of  that  year,  and  evidently  found  his 
position  distasteful,  for  in  a  letter  to  the  governor  of  Vir- 
ginia, dated  Kaskaskias,  August  18,  1779,  he  asked  per- 
mission to  attend  the  session  of  the  legislature  in  the 
following  spring,  and  "get  a  discharge  from  an  office  which 
an  unwholesome  air,  a  distance  from  my  connexions,  a 
language  not  familiar  to  me,  and  an  impossibility  of  pro- 
curing many  of  the  conveniences  of  life  suitable,  all  tend 
to  render  uncomfortable." 

Col.  Todd,  however,  does  not  appear  to  have  been  granted 
this  permission,  or  to  have  availed  himself  of  it,  and  during 
the  few  remaining  years  of  his  short  life,  although  he  seems 
not  to  have  been  in  Illinois  after  1779,  his  correspondence 
shows  that  he  was  earnestly  attentive  to  its  interests.  In 
1780,  he  was  elected  a  delegate  from  the  County  of  Ken- 
tucky to  the  legislature  of  Virginia,  and  was  married  while 
attending  its  session  of  that  year,  to  Miss  Jane  Hawkins. 
In  the  summer  of  178 1,  Gov.  Thomas  Jefferson  appointed 
Todd  colonel  of  Fayette  County,  Kentucky;  and  in  May,^ 
1782,  he  was  made  one  of  the  trustees  of  Lexington,  in 
that  State,  by  act  of  Virginia.  In  the  summer  of  that 
year,  as  senior  colonel,  he  commanded  the  little  force  of 
one  hundred  and  eighty  men  who  went  in  pursuit  of  the 
Indians  retreating  from  Simon  Girty's  famous  raid  on  the 
settlements  south  of  the  Ohio,  and  on  August  19,  1782, 
he  died  heroically  at  the  disastrous  battle  of  the  Blue 
Licks.  His  only  child,  Mary  Owen  Todd,  was  married 
first  to  a  Mr.  Russell,  and  afterward  became  the  second 
wife  of  Robert  VVickliffe  of  Lexington,  Kentucky,  and 
died  childless. 


158 


EARLY   ILLINOIS. 


a 


v- 


The  original  record-book  kept  by  Col.  Todd  during  his 
residence  in  the  County  of  Illinois  has  been  preserved  to 
our  time  by  the  merest  chance.  In  November  1879,  a 
a  visitor  at  Kaskaskia  learned  that  the  old  documents 
formerly  kept  there  had  been  removed  to  the  neighboring 
town  of  Chester,  when  it  became  the  county-seat  of  Ran- 
dolph County,  Illinois.  Upon  inquiry  at  the  latter  place, 
he  was  informed  that  several  chests  of  these  papers  had 
stood  for  years  in  the  hall  of  the  court-house,  until  the 
greater  part  of  their  contents  had  been  lost  or  destroyed. 
A  small  box  had  been  filled  with  those  that  remained  a 
few  years  before,  and  placed  in  one  of  the  rooms  of  the 
building.  These  also  had  disappeared,  and  it  was  finally 
ascertained  that  they  had  been  distributed  among  the 
different  offices  to  be  used  as  kindling,  and  all  had  been 
burned  except  one  old  book,  which  was  found  in  a  recep- 
tacle for  fuel  in  the  county-clerk's  apartment.  And  this 
upon  exai  lination  proved  to  be  Col.  John  Todd's  Record- 
Book,  which  subsequently,  by  vote  of  the  commissioners 
of  Randolph  County,  was  deposited  with  the  Chicago  His- 
torical Society  for  safe-keeping.  Its  contents  are  of  suffi- 
.  cient  interest  and  value,  in  connection  with  the  early 
history  of  Illinois,  to  justify  its  publication  in  full  in  this 
volume.  And  in  connection  with  it,  such  letters  of  Col. 
John  Todd  and  those  associated  with  him  as  could  be 
.found  in  the  Canadian  and  Virginian  archives  are  also 
published  herein.* 

*  Authorities: — Reynolds'  "Pioneer  History  of  Illinois,"  second  editron; 
John  Mason  Brown's  "Address  at  the  Centennial  Commemoration  of  the 
Battle  of  the  Blue  Licks";  and  letters  from  John  Mason  Brown  and  William 
Wirt  Henry. 


'(« 


V 


JOHN   TODD'S    RECORD-BOOK.* 

From  the  original  in  possession  of  the  Chicago  Historical  Society,  No,  3437. 


[On  the  inside  of  the  front  cover  of  the  book  is  written:] 

Kaskaskias  in  the  Ilinois  29th  april  1782.  Eighty  and 
touce.  This  day  10  oClock  A:M  Je  vas  Taken  out  of  my 
house  by  Isreal  Dodge  on  an  order  Given  by  Jno.  Dodge 
in  despite  of  the  Civil  authoroty  Disregardled  the  Laws 
and  on  thcr  Malitious  acusation  of  jas.  Williams  and 
nicheul  pevante  as  may  appear  by  their  deposition  Je  vas 
Confined  By  Tyranick  military  ff  ..e  without  inaking  any 
Legal  aplication  to  the  Civil  Magistrates  ^oth  the  attorney 
for  the  State  La  Buinierc  presented  a  petition  to  the 
Court  against  Richard  Winston  State  prisonner  in  their 
Custody  the  Contents  of  which  he  (the  attornc}'  for  the 
State)  ought  to  heave  Communicated  to  me  or  my  attor- 
ney if  any  J  had.-f 


[Letter  of  Instructions  from  Patrick  Henry,  Governor 

of  Virginia,  pages  i-6:] 

^    /         -,  T-  W^^BURG,  Dec'r  1 2th,  1778. 

To  John  Todd,  Esqr  '  '    '  ^ 

By  virtue  of  the  act  of  Gen^  Assembly  which  estab- 

*  This  book  contains  thirty-nine  pages  of  10  x  15,  laid,  ledger-ruled  paper, 
with  water- marked  "crown  J'  and  letters  "D  V  G"  under,  and  "IV";  enclosed 
in  combed-marbled  thin  paste-board  covers. 

t  This  memorandum  has  no  connection  with  the  other  contents  of  the 
Kecord-Book,  and  was  apparently  inscribed  by  accident  on  its  cover.  Richard 
Winston,  by  whom  it  was  written,  was  living  in  the  Illinois  Country  as  early 
as  July,  1773.  He  was  appointed  by  John  Todd  captain  and  commandant  at 
Kaskaskia,  May  14,  1779;  was  also  sheriff-in-chief  of  that  district,  elected  by 
the  people,  and  was  left  in  command  at  Kaskaskia  by  Todd,  during  his  absence 
in  June,  1779.  In  January,  1781,  Winston  was  still  commandant  at  Kaskas- 
kia. This  memorandum  contains  the  only  information  we  have  concerning 
the  revolution  in  his  affairs  which  made  him  a  State  prisoner  in  1782. — E.  o.  m. 


"ffi^dia&fv 


J^W5^ 


1 60 


EARLY   ILLINOIS. 


c  i 


lishes  the  County  of  Ilinoies,  you  are  appointed  County 
Liut,  a-  Command^  there,  and  for  the  genrall  tennour 
of  your  Conduct  I  rcfur  you  to  the  law. 

The  Grand  Objects  which  are  disclosed  to  the  View  of 
your  countrymen  will  prove  Benificial  or  otherwise  accord- 
ing to  the  Valine  and  Abilities  of  those  who  are  called  to 
Direct  the  affairs  of  that  remote  Country.  The  present 
crisis  rendered  so  favourable  by  the  Good  Disposition  of 
the  French  and  Indians  may  be  Improv'd  to  Great  pur- 
poses, but  if  unhapily  it  Should  be  lost,  a  returne  of  the 
Same  attachments  to  us  may  never  happen.  Considering, 
therefore,  that  earley  Prejudices  are  so  hard  to  weare  Out, 
you  will  Take  Care  to  Cultivate  and  concilate  the  affec- 
tions of  the  French  and  Indians. 

Altho  Great  reliance  is  placed  on  your  prudence  in 
managing  the  people  you  are  to  reside  amoung,  yet  con- 
sider'g  you  as  unacquainted  in  some  Degree  with  their 
Genius,  usages,  and  maners,  as  vv^ell  as  the  Geography  of 
the  Cuntry,  I  recommend  it  to  you  to  consult  and  advise 
with  the  most  inteligable  and  upright  persons  who  may 
fall  in  your  way. 

You  arc  to  give  perticklar  Attention  to  Cob  Clark  and 
his  Corps,  to  whome  the  State  has  Great  Obligations. 
You  are  to  cooperate  with  him  on  any  military  under- 
taking when  necessary,  and  to  Give  the  military  every  Aid 
which  the  circumstance  of  the  people  will  admit  of.  the 
Inhabitints  of  the  Ilinoiss  must  not  .expect  setled  peace 
and  safety  while  theire  and  Our  enimyes  have  footing  at 
Detroit  and  can  Intercept  or  Stop  the  Trade  of  the  Mis- 
sissippi. If  the  English  have  not  the  Strength  or  or 
Courage  to  come  to  warr  against  us  Themselves,  there 
practice  has  been  and  Will  be  to  hire  the  savages  to  com- 
mit murders  and  depredations.  Ilinoiss  must  expect  to 
pay  in  these  a  large  price  for  her  freedom  unless  the 
ILnglish  can    be   Expelled    from   Detroit,     the  means  of 


giMi^^^iiaiisad 


JOHN   TODD  S   RECORD-BOOK. 


i6i 


County 
tennour 

View  of 
accord- 
railed  to 
present 
sition  of 
2at  pur- 
e  of  the 
iidering, 
are  Out, 
le  afifec- 

lence  in 
yet  con- 
th  their 
aphy  of 
i  advise 
ho  may 

\vk  and 
gations. 

unde'r- 
ery  Aid 
of.  the 
peace 
3ting  at 
he  Mis- 
i  or  or 
s,  there 

o  com- 
pect  to 
2ss  the 
eans  of 


Effecting  this  will  not  perhaps  be  found  in  your  or  Cob 
Clark's  power,  but  the  French  inhabiting  the  neighbour- 
hood of  that  place,  it  is  presumed,  may  be  brought  to 
see  it  Done  with  indiferrence  or  perhaps  Joyne  in  the 
Enterprize  with  pleasure,  this  is  but  conjecture,  when 
you  are  on  the  Spot  you  and  Colo  Clark  may  Discover 
its  fallacey  or  reallity  if  the  former  appearf.s.  defence 
only  is  to  be  the  Object,  if  the  latter  or  a  good  prospect 
of  it,  I  hope  the  Frenchmen  &  Indians  at  your  Disposial 
will  shew  a  Zeal  for  the  affaire  eaquel  to  the  Benefits  to 
be  Derived  from  Establishing  Liberty  and  permanent 
peace. 

One  Great  Good  expected  from  Holding  the  Ilinoiss  is 
to  overaw  the  Indians  from  warring  on  our  Settlers  on 
this  side  the  Ohio,  a  close  attention  to  the  Disposition, 
carector,  and  movments  bf  the  Hostile  Tribes  is  therefore 
nessary  for  you  the  forces  and  militia  at  Ilinoiss  by  be- 
ing placed  on  the  back  of  them  may  inflict  timly  Chase- 
tizement  on  these  enemies,  whose  Towns  are  an  easy 
prey  in  absince  of  their  Warriors. 

You  perceive  by  these  hints  that  something  in  the  mili- 
tary line  may  be  Expected  from  you  so  farr  as  the  Occa- 
sion calls  for  the  assistance  of  the  people  composing  the 
militia  it  will  be  necessory  to  cooperate  with  the  Troops 
sent  from  here,  and  I  know  of  no  better  Genl  Direction 
to  Give  than  this,  that  you  Consider  yourself  at  the  head 
of  the  Civill  department,  and  as  Such  having  the  Commd 
of  the  militia,  who  are  not  to  be  under  the  Comm<^l  of  the 
military  untill  ordred  out  by  the  Civil  Authority,  and  to 
Act  in  conjunction  with  them. 

You  are  on  all  Accatons  to  inculcate  on  the  people  the 
Value  of  liberty  and  the  DifferrencQ  between  the  State 
of  free  Citizens  of  this  Comonwelth  and  that  Slavery  to 
which  the  Ilinoiss  was  Destined.  A  free  &  equal  repre- 
sentation may  be  Expected  by  them  in  a  little  Time,  to- 


-■•^■Oli 


T 


162 


EARLY    ILLINOIS. 


gether  with  all  the  improvm^s  in  Jurisprudence  and  police 
which  the  Other  parts  of  the  State  enjoy. 

It  is  necessary  for  the  Hapiness,  increase,  and  prosperity 
of  that  Cuntrey  that  the  Greaveances  that  obstruct  these 
blessings  be  known  in  order  to  their  removall,  let  it  there- 
fore be  your  Care  to  obtain  information  on  that  subject, 
that  proper  plans  may  be  formed  for  the  Generall  Utillity. 
Let  it  be  your  Constant  Attention  to  see  that  the  inhabi- 
tints  have  Justice  administred  to  them  for  any  Injury 
reed  from  the  Troops,  the  omission  of  this  may  be  fatalL 
Colo  Clark  has  Instructions  on  this  Head,  and  will,  I 
Doubt  not,  exert  himself  to  curb  all  licentious  practises 
of  the  Soldiery,  which  if  unrestrained  would  produce  the 
most  banefull  effects. 

You  will  also  Discountinence  &  punish  every  attempt 
to  Violate  the  property  of  the  Indians,  perticularly  in 
their  lands.  Our  enemys  have  alarmed  them  much  on 
that  score,  but  I  hope  from  your  prudence  and  Justice 
that  no  grounds  of  CompU  will  be  administred  on  thi& 
Subject. 

You  will  embrace  every  opertunity  to  manifest  the  high 
reguard  and  frendly  sentiments  of  this  Commonwelth 
towards  all  the  Subjects  of  his  Catholic  Majesty,  for 
whose  safity,  prosperity,  and  advantage  you  will  give 
every  possible  advantage.  You  will  make  a  Tender  of 
the  Frendship  and  Services  of  y  people  to  the  Spanish 
Commandant  neare  Kaskaskia,  and  Cultivate  the  Strictest 
Connection  with  him  and  his  people.  I  deliver  you  you 
a  letter  which  you  will  hand  to  him  in  person.* 

The  Ditaile  of  your  Duty  in  the  civil  Department  I 
need  not  give  you,  its  best  Direction  will  be  found  in 

*  At  this  time  the  whole  region  west  of  the  Mississippi  was  under  the 
dominion  of  Spain,  and  "the  Spanish  commandant  neare  Kaskaskia"  was- 
stationed  at  Ste.  Genevieve,  in  what  is  now  Missouri,  a  few  miles  southwest 
of  Kaskaskia,  and  on  the  other  side  of  the  Mississippi  River.  The  position 
at  this  date  was  occupied  by  Monsieur  Cartabonne. — k.  c,  m. 


M 


si 


•  55 


JOHN   TODD'S   RECORD-BOOK. 


.163 


d  police 

osperity 
ct  these 
it  there- 
subject, 
Utillity. 

inhabi- 
■  Injury 
)e  fatalL 

will,  I 
tractises 
luce  the 

attempt 
larly  in 
luch  on 
Justice 
on  this 

lie  high 

)n\velth 

ty,   for 

I   give 

der  of 

panish 

rictest 

3u  you 

nent  I 
and  in 

nder  the 
ia"  was- 

outhwest 
position 


I 


1 


yr  innate  love  of  Justice  and  Zeal,  to  be  intencively  use- 
full  to  your  fellow -men.  A  general  Direction  to  act 
according  to  the  best  of  y  Judgment  in  cases  where 
these  Instructions  are  Silent  and  the  laws  have  not  Other- 
wise Directed  is  given  to  you  from  the  necessity  of  the 
Case,  for  y  Great  Distance  from  Goverm*  will  not  per- 
mit you  to  wait  for  Orders  in  many  Cases  of  Great 
Importance. 

in  your  negociations  with  the  Indians  confine  the  stip- 
ula"  as  much  as  possible  to  the  single  object  of  obtaining 
peace  from  them.  Touch  not  the  subject  of  land  or 
bounderies  till  pertick^  Orders  are  rec^;  where  necessity 
requ^s  it,  presents  may  be  made,  but  be  as  frugall  in  that 
matter  as  possible  and  let  them  know  that  Goods  at  pres- 
ent is  Scarce  with  us,  but  we  expect  soon  to  Trade  freely 
with  all  the  world,  and  they  shall  not  want  when  we  can 
get  them. 

The  matters  given  you  in  Charge  are  Singular  in  their 

ature  and  Weighty  in  their  Consequences  to  the  people 
imediately  concerned  and  to  the  whole  State,  they  require 
the  fullest  exertion  of  y  Abillitys  &  Unwearied  Dili- 
gence. 

from  matters  of  Genrall  Consearn  you  must  Turn 
Occasionally  to  Others  of  less  Consequence.  Mr.  Rose- 
blave's*  wife  and  Family  must  not  Suffer  for  want  of  that 
property  of  which  they  were  bereft  by  Our  Troops;  it 
is  to  be  Restored  to  them  if  possible,  if  this  cannot  be 
Done  the  Publick  muE ":  Support  them. 

I  think  it  proper  for  you  to  send  n.e  an  Express  once 
in  three  months  with  a  Gen'  Accot  of  affaires  with  you 
&  any  perticklars  you  wish  to  communicate. 

It  is  in  contemplation  to  appoint  an  agent  to  mannage 

*  Rocheblave,  the  last  British  commandant  at  Kaskaskia,  who  surrendered 
the  post  to  George  Rogers  Clark  and  was  sent  a  prisoner  to  Virginia.  His 
wife  and  family  remained  at  Kaskaskia. — E.  o,  M. 


'mr 


164 


EARLY   ILLINOIS. 


Trade  on  Publick  Accounts  to  Supply  Ilinoiss  and  the 
Indians  with  Goods;  if  such  an  appointment  tal<es  place, 
you  will  give  it  every  posible  aid.  The  people  with  you 
should  not  intermit  their  endeavours  to  procure  Supplys 
on  the  expectation  of  this,  and  you  may  act  accordingly. 

P.  Henry.* 


.  i. 


1    i 


I 


£List  of  Commissions,  Military  and  Civil,  pages  6-10:] 

Made  out  the  Military  Commissions  for  the  District  of 
Kaskaskia,  dated  May  14th,  1779. 

Richd  Winston 
Nicholas  Janis 
Baptiste  Charlevill 
Charles  Charleville 
Michael  Godin 

Joseph  Duplassy 
Nicholas  le  Chance 
Charles  Danee 
Batiste  Janis 

17th  May  sent  a  Com.  of  Command^:  of  Prairie  du 
Rocher  &  Capt.  of  the  Militia  in  the  District  of  Kaskas- 
kia to  J.  B.  Barbeau. 

The  District  of  Kohokia. 


Comns  Dated  14th 
^May,  1779;  3rd  year 
of  the  Comhwth. 


Commandant, 

as  Capt. 

first  Co.  Capt. 

^ 

I  Leut. 

+ 

2  Lieut. 

( 

Ensign. 

)    X 

2nd  Capt. 

^  ^ 

I  Leut. 

2  Leut. 

( 

Ensign. 

)   X 

Francois  Trotter 

Commt 

Tourangeau 

Capt.  I. 

Beaulieu 

Capt.  2. 

Gerradin 

Lieut. 

P.  Marthen 

Leutt. 

Sansfacon 

Ensign. 

Ensign. 

*  This  is  believed  to  be  the  genuine  signature  of  Patrick  Henry,  it  being 
apparently  identical  with  other  autographs  known  to  be  his. — E.  g.  m. 


'® 


TOIIN   TODD'S   RECORD-BOOK. 


165 


List  of  the  Court  of  Kaskaskia  as  Elected  by  the  People 
Gabriel  Cerre 


I 

2 

3 

4 

5 

7 
8 

9 


Joseph  Duplasy 
Jaques  Lesource 
Nicholas  Janis 
J.  B.  Barbeau 


6     Nicholas  Le  Chance 


Charles  Charleville 

Antoine  Duchasfourt  de  Louvieres 

Girradot 
Carboneau     Clerk.  Richd  Winston 


Sheriff. 


Court  of  Kohokias 


I 

2 

3 

4 

5 
6 

7 


Touranjeau  (Godin) 


Francois  Trottier 
Chas.  Gratiot 

Girradin 

B.  Saucier 


Mr.  Beaulieu 
P.  Marthin 
Francois  Saucier 


Clerk.        J.  B.  Le  Croix     Sheriff. 


The  Court  of  St.  Vincennes: 

1  P.  Legras 

2  Francois  Bosseron 

3  Perrot 

4  Cardinal  (refused  to  serve) 
•  5  Guery  La  Tulippe 

6  P.  Gamelin 

7  l^deline 

8  Degenest  (       Legrand     Clerk. 

9  Barron  (  SherifT. 


Militia  Officers  of  St.  Vincennes; 

P.  Legras  Col. 

F.  Bosseron  Major. 


m 


i66 


EARLY    ILLINOIS. 


Latulippe      i  Capt. 


Edeline 
M.  Brouilet 
P.  Gamelin 


I 
2 

3 

4 
I 

2 

3 
4 


Goden 
Godin 


3  )  rank  not 

4  3    settled 


Lieut, 


I 


Capt. 


Joseph  Rougas 
Richerville  (erased) 
Richerville 


Liste   de   La  Cour   des    Kaskaskias    En    1787,    Le   25 
Juiliet,  savoir: 

1  Antoine  Beativais 

2  Corsette         1. 

3  St.  Geme        u 

4  Lachance       ,<  ■ 

5  Vital  Bauvais 

6  Louis  Brazeau 


License  for  Trade:  [page  n] 

To  all  to  whom  these  presents  shall  come,  Greeting. 
Know  ye,  that  whereas  Rich^  McCarty,  Gentleman,  hath 
produced  a  Recommendation  from  the  Court  of  District 
of  Kohokia  certifying  his  patriotism,  Integrity,  &  Knowl- 
edge in  Trade  &  Merchandizing, 

These  are  therefore  to  license  &  permit  the  said  R.  Mc. 
to  traffick  &  Merchandize  with  all  the  liege  Subjects  & 
Friends  of  the  United  States  of  America  of  what  Nation 
soever  they  be,  &  to  erect  Factories  &  Stores  at  any 
convenient  place  or  places  he  shall  think  proper  within 
the  Commonwealth  aforesaid.     Provided  that  by  virtue 


Ef 

& 

of 


m 


JOHN    TODD  S   RECORD-BOOK. 


167 


liereof  no  pretence  shall  be  made  to  trespass  upon  the 
Effects  or  property  of  Individuals.  Given  under  my  hand 
&  seal  at  Kaskaskia,  the  5th  June,  1779,  in  the  3rd  year 
of  the  Commonwealth.* 


■fef 


■% 


Le   25 


reetmg. 

m,  hath 

District 

^nowl- 

R.  Mc. 
ects  & 
Nation 
at  any 
within 
virtue 


Letter  to  the  Court  of  Kaskaskia:  [page  12] 

nth  June,  1779. 

Gcutlcmen: — The  only  method  America  has  to  support 
the  present  just  War  is  by  her  Credit.  That  Credit  at 
present  is  her  Bills  emitted  from  the  different  Treasuries 
by  which  she  engages  to  pay  the  Bearer  at  a  certain  time 
Gold  &  Silver  in  Exchange.  There  is  no  friend  to  Ameri- 
can Independance  who  has  any  Judgment  but  soon  ex- 
pects to  see  it  equal  to  Gold  &  Silver.  Some  disaffected 
persons  &  designing  Speculators  discredit  it  through 
Enemity  or  Interest;  the  ignorant  multitude  have  not 
Sagacity  enough  to  examine  into  this  matter,  &  merely 
from  its  uncommon  Quantity  &  in  proportion  to  it  arises 
the  Complaint  of  its  want  of  Credit. 

This  has  for  some  years  been  the  Case  near  the  Seat 
of  War;  the  disorder  has  spread  at  last  as  far  as  the 
Ilinois   &  calls  loudly  for  a  Remedy.      In  the  interior 

*  Richard  McCarty  was  a  resident  of  Cahokia  while  it  was  under  British 
control,  and  in  February,  1777,  wrote  an  humble  letter  to  the  commandant, 
Rocheblave,  apparently  to  defend  himself  against  even  the  suspicion  of  dis- 
loyalty. But  when  Clark  levied  the  force  to  march  from  Kaskaskia  against 
the  British  post  at  Vincennes,  McCarty  led  a  company  of  volunteers,  who 
were  nearly  all  of  French  descent,  from  Cahokia  to  join  that  expedition,  and 
rendered  good  service.  In  August,  1 779,  he  was  appointed  commandant  at 
Cahokia  under  the  authority  of  Virginia,  and  in  November,  1780,  Todd, 
writing  to  Gov.  Jefferson,  says:  "McCarty,  a  captain  in  the  Illinois  Regiment 
who  has  long  since  rendered  himself  disagreeable  by  endeavoring  to  enforce 
Military  law  upon  the  Civil  Department  at  Kohos. "  Jle  appears  to  have  had 
a  tract  of  land  at  Cahokia,  and  is  one  of  those  named  in  the  report  made  in 
1809,  by  the  commissioners  appointed  by  congress,  as  a  claimant  under 
*' Ancient  Grants"  in  the  district  of  Kaskaskia. — E.  g.  m. 


m 


T 


w^ 


1 68 


EARLY    ILLINOIS. 


Counties  this  Remedy  is  a  heavy  Tax,  now  operating 
from  which  an  indulgent  government  has  exempted  us 
one  only  remedy  remains  which  is  lodged  within  my 
power  that  is  by  recieving  on  behalf  of  Government 
such  sums  as  the  people  shall  be  induced  to  lend  upon  a 
sure  fund  &  thereby  decreasing  the  Quantity  the  mode 
of  doing  this  is  already  planned  &  shall  be  always  open 
to  your  Inspection  &  Examination  with  the  proceed- 
ings, &  I  must  request  your  Concurrence  &  Assistance. 
I  am.  Gentlemen,  your  most  obedient  servant,  &c. 


^ 


>-L_ 


■T^-n-" 


Plan  for  Borrowing  33,333>^  Dollars  of  Treasury 

Notes,  both  belonging  to  this  State  & 

the  United  States:  [pages  14-5] 

Whereas,  owing  to  no  other  reason  than  the  prodigious 
quantity  of  Treasury  notes  now  in  Circulation,  the  vallue 
of  almost  every  Comody  has  risen  to  most  enormeous 
Prices,  the  Preserving  the  Credit  of  the  Said  bills  by 
Reduceing  the  Quantity  requires  Some  immediate  rem- 
edy, it  is  therefore  Declaried: 

1  That  21,000  acres  of  Land  belonging  to  This  Com- 
monwelth  shall  be  laid  of  as  Soon  as  may  be.  Bounded 
thus:  Beginning  on  the  bank  of  the  Missisippe,  In  the 
District  of  Kohokia,  at  Richd  McCartey's  Cornor,  thence 
runing  up  the  said  river  3500  poles,  when  reduced  to  a 
Straight  line,  from  the  Extremities  of  which  at  right 
Angles  with  the  former  on  the  Virginia  side  2  lines  of 
equal  Length  shall  run  so  far,  that  with  another  line  para- 
lel  with  the  Course  of  the  River,  the  Plat  Shall  containc 
the  Quantity  afouresaid. 

2  That  the  said  21,000  (except  one  thousand  to  be 
Hereafter  laid  off  by  Government  for  a  Town  in  the  most 
Convenient  part  Thereof  with  In  and  Out  Lotts)  shall  be 
a  fund  for  the  purpose  afoursaid. 


JOHN   TODDS    RECORD-BOOK. 


169 


peratin^ 
ipted  us 
thin  my 
^ernment 
d  upon  a 
he  mode 
ays  open 
procecd- 
isistance. 


easury 


odigious 
le  vallue 
ormeous 
bills  by 
ate  rem- 

lis  Com- 
pounded 
In  the 
thence 
ced  to  a 
at  right 
lines  of 
ne  para- 
:ontainc 

to  be 
he  most 
shall  be 


■1 


1 


Provided  that  every  adventurer  be  Subject  to  all  Laws 
&  regulations  in  Cultivating  &  Selling  to  which  Settlers 
in  the  County  of  Ilinoiss  shall  hereafter  be  Subjected. 

3rd  That  the  lender  of  money  take  a  certificate  from 
the  Comissioners,  for  that  Purpose  appointed,  for  the  sum 
but  not  being  less  than  100  Dollars,  for  which  he,  his 
heirs,  Exe^,  Adm«",  or  assigns  Shall  be  entitled  to  Demand 
within  2  years  a  Title  to  his  propotion  of  the  land  in  the 
Said  P"und  or  the  Sum  originally  advanced,  in  Gold  or 
Silver  with  5  p  ct.  Interest  p  anum  at  the  Option  of  the 
State. 

Provicd  first  that  no  assignment  of  such  certifycate 
shall  be  made  or  Conveyance  but  in  open  Court  by  Deed 
to  be  recorded, 

(2)  That  a  Deduction  shall  be  made  for  all  money  here- 
after discovered  to  be  Counterfeited. 

4  That  all  persons  may  have  reasonable  Inducements 
to  lend,  the  lender  shall  have  assurance  that  no  greater 
Sum  shall  be  received  than  33,333^  Dollars  on  said 
Fund,  That  Government  shall  Comply  with  the  above 
Engagements,  &  this  Plan  be  Recorded  in  the  Recorder's 
Office  of  Kaskaskie.  j^^^  ^^^^ 

PVcnch  Translation:  [The  three  following  lines  are  erased.] 
Plan  Pour  Emprunter  la  somme  de  trente  trois  mil  trois 
cent  trente  trois  &  un  tiere  piastres  monoiss  du  tresoier 
de  cet  Etat  ainsi  que  des  Etats  unies. 


Copy  of  the  Instructions,  &c.,  on  the  Borrowing^ 

Fund:  [page  15] 

Sir: — You  are  hereby  appointed  a  Commissionor  for 
Borrowing  money  upon  the  Kohoskia  Fund.  Inclosed  is 
a  Coppy  of  the  Plan,  the  Design  you'll  Observe  is  to 
abridge  the  Quantity  in  Circulation — the  money  paid  in 


m' 


fff 


170 


EARLY   ILLINOIS. 


\—* 


l''- 


.1 


^\L 


you  will  preserve  untill  you  Shall  be  Caled  upon  for  it. 
Let  every  man's  Money  be  kept  apart  with  his  nam  and 
Quantity  Indorsid  thereon,  keep  a  book  to  Register  the 
No.,  the  Person's  names,  the  Quantity  of  Money,  the  date 
your  Receipt,  thus: 

Kohoskia  Fund  (No.  i). 
I  do  certify  that  I  have  received  of  the 

Sum  of  Dollars,  which  intiles  the  said 

to  a  propotionable  quantity  of  land  in  the  Kohoskia  Fund 
or  Gold  &  Silver,  according  to  the  Plan  Recordid  in  the 
Recorder's  Office  of  Kaskaskia.     Witness  my  Hand 
this        Day  of  1779.  HY  Crutcher,  Comr. 


[Bond  of  Commissioner,  page  16:] 
Know  all  men  by  these  presence  that  we,  Henry 
Crutcher,  George  Slaughter  &  John  Roberts,  are  held 
and  firmly  bound  Unto  Jno  Todd,  Esq',  Commander  in 
Chief  of  the  County  of  Ilinois,  in  the  Sum  of  Thirty  three 
Thousand  three  hundred  &  thirty  three  Dollars  &  one 
third  to  be  paid  to  the  said  John  Todd  or  his  successors, 
to  which  payment,  will  &  truly  to  be  maid,  we  do  bind 
Ourselves  &  each  of  each  of  Our  heirs,  executors,  firmly 
by  These  Presence.  Sealed  &  Datid  this  14th  Day  of 
June,  in  the  year  1779. 

The  Condition  of  the  above  Obligation  is  such  if  the 

above   named    Henry   Crutcher,   Commissioner   for   the 

Fund   for   borrowing  certaine   Sums  of  CORtinentall  & 

State  Currency,  shall  at  all  Times  when  Required  pay 

and  Account  for  all  Sums  so  received,  and  in  all  things 

Comport  himself  agreable  to  Such  Rules  and  Regulations 

as  Shall  be  Adopted  for  prosecuting  the  same,  then  the 

Above  Obligation  to  be  Void,  Otherwise  In  full  force. 

Test:  HY  Crutcher.       (Seal) 

Richd  Harrison.  Geo.  Slaughter.   (Seal) 

RicH^  Winston.  John  Roberts.      (Seal) 


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JOHN   TODD'S    RECORD-BOOK. 


171 


Proclamation:  [page  17] 

Ilinois,  to  wit:  Wliereas  from  the  Furtilety  &  beauti- 
full  Situation  of  the  Lands  bordering  upon  the  Missisippy, 
Ohio,  IHnois,  &  Wabash  rivers,  the  Taking  up  the  usual 
quantity  heretofore  allowed  for  a  Setlement  by  the  Gov- 
ernmnt  of  Virginia,  would  injure  both  the  Strength  & 
Commerce  of  this  Country  in  Future, 

I  do  therefore  issue  this  Proclamation  strictly  enjoining 
all  persons  whatsoever  from  making  any  New  Settlements 
upon  the  Flat  lands  of  the  said  Rivers  or  within  one 
league  of  said  lands,  unless  In  manor  and  form  of  Settle- 
mt  as  heretofore  made  by  the  French-  Inhabitints  untill 
Further  Orders  given  hereon. 

And  in  order  that  all  the  Claims  to  Lands  within  the 
Said  Country  may  be  fully  known  &  some  method  pro- 
vided for  perpetuating  by  records  the  just  Claimes,  every 
Inhabit!  is  required,  as  soon  as  conveniently  may  be,  to 
lay  before  the  persons  in  each  District  appointed  for  that 
purpose  a  Memmedo  of  his  or  her  Land,  with  Coppys  of 
all  theire  Vouchers  &  where  vouchers  have  never  been 
given  or  are  lost,  such  Depositions  &  Certify  as  will  best 
Tend  to  Support  there  Claims.  Such  memdo  to  mention 
the  Quantity  of  land,  to  whome  Origonally  granted,  or 
by  whome  Settled,  and  when;  deducing  the  Title  thro 
the  Various  Occupants  to  the  Present  possessor.  The 
number  of  Adventurers  who  will  Soon  Over  run  This 
Country  renders  the  above  method  necessesary,  as  well 
to  Assertain  the  Vacant  Land  as  to  Guard  against  Tres- 
passes, which  will  probably  be  Committed  upon  Land 
not  of  Record, 

Given  under  my  Hand  &  Seal  at  Kaskaskia,  the  14th 

day  of  June,  1779. 

John  Todd. 

12-33-2 


MM 


172 


EARLY    ILLINOIS. 


■si    »J 


Warrant  for  Execution:  [erased,  page  i8] 

Ilinois,  to  wit:  To  Richard  Winston,  Esq.,  Sherifif  in  Chief 
of  the  District  of  Kaskaskia: 
Negro  Manuel,  a  Slave,  in  your  Custody,  is  condemned 
by  the  Court  of  Kaskaskia,  after  having  made  honorable 
Fine  at  the  Door  of  the  Church,  to  be  chained  to  a  post 
at  the  water  side  &  there  to  be  burnt  alive,  &  his  ashes 
scattered,  as  appears  to  me  by  Record.  This  Sentence 
you  are  hereby  required  to  put  in  Execution  on  tuesday 
next,  at  9  o'Clock  in  the  morning;  and  this  shall  be  your 
Warrant.  Given  under  my  hand  &  seal  at  Kaskaskia, 
the  13th  day  of  June,  in  the  third  year  of  the  Common- 
wealth. 


[John  Todd  to  Richard  Winston,  page  18:] 

Sir: — During  my  absence  the  Command  will  devolve 
upon  you  as  Commander  of  Kaskaskia — if  Colo  Clark 
should  want  anything  more  for  his  Expodition,  consult 
the  members  of  the  Court  upon  the  best  mode  of  pro- 
ceeding, if  the  people  will  not  Spare  wilingly,  if  in  there 
power,  you  must  press  it,  valueing  valluing  the  Property 
by  Two  men  upon  Oath — let  the  Millitary  have  no  pre- 
test for  forcing  property.  When  you  Order  it,  &  the 
people  will  not  find  it,  then  it  will  be  Time  for  them  to 
Interfere — by  all  means  keep  up  a  Good  Understanding 
with  Colo  Clark  and  the  Officers — if  this  is  not  the  Case 
you  will  be  Unhapy.        I  am,  sir,  y^  Hble  Servt, 

John  Todd, 
To  Richd  Winston,  P^sqr.  June  15,  1779. 


[John  Todd  to  Nicholas  Janis,  page  19:] 
To  Capt.  Nicholas  Janis: — You  are  hereby  required 


JOHN   TODD'S   RECORD-BOOK. 


173 


8] 

if  in  Chief 

jndemned 
lonorable 
to  a  post 
his  ashes 
Sentence 
n  tuesday 
il  be  your 
waskaskia. 
Common- 


18:] 

il  devolve 
olo  Clark 
1,  consult 
le  of  pro- 
if  in  there 

Property 
e  no  pre- 

it,  &  the 
•  them  to 
irstanding 

the  Case 

ODD, 

15.  1779- 


9:] 

r  required 


to  call  upon  a  partey  of  your  Militia  to  guard  Morace,  a 
Slave  condemed  to  execution,  up  to  the  Town  of  Kohos. 
put  them  under  an  Officer    they  shall  be  intitled  pay, 
Rashtions,  &  Refreshment  dureing  the  Time  they  shall 
be  upon  Duty,  to  be  certifyed  hereafter  by  you. 

I  am,  sir,  your  Hble  Servant, 

JnO  Todd,  15th  June,  1779. 

I  recommend  4  or  5  from  your  Compy  &  as  many  from 
Capt.  Placey's,  and  consult  Mr.  Lacroix  about  the  Time 
necessary.  J.  T. 


!     i 


■jm 


[Proclamation,  pages  19,  20:] 

Ilinoiss,  to  wit:  Whereas  the  emissions  of  Continentall 
money  Dated  the  20th  May,  1777,  and  Apl  nth,  1778, 
were  required  to  be  paid  into  some  Continental  Treasury 
by  the  first  of  June,  which  was  a  day  imposible  with  the 
People  of  Ilinoiss, 

I  do  therefore  notifye  all  persons  who  have  money  of 
the  said  emissions,  that  unless  they  shall  as  soon  as  posi- 
ble  Comply  with  the  said  Resolution  of  Congress  and 
Produce  Vouchers  of  such  there  imposibility,  the  mony 
must  Sink  in  there  Hands;  the  Vouchers  must  be  certi- 
fyed by  myself  or  some  Deputy  Commandant  of  this 
County  and  have  Reference  to  the  Bundle  of  mony  num- 
bred  and  seald. 

Signd  by  order  of  the  Commandant  in  Chief,  at  Kas- 
kaskia,  July  27th,  1779.  John  Todd. 

Coppy,  HV  Crutcher,  Secy. 

D'autant  que  la  Monnoye  Ameriquaine  en  datte  du  20 
May,  1777,  et  celle  du  1 1  Avril,  1778,  ont  ete  requises  pour 
etrc  remises  a  Quelquc  tresorier  du  Continent  au  premier 
des  Juin,  dernier  chose  impossible  pour  les  gens  des  Ilinois. 


174 


EARLY   ILLINOIS. 


Le  present  est  pour  avertir  toutes  personnes  qui  ont 
des  cartes  des  susdits  quantiemes  de  se  conformer  au  sus- 
ditte  Resolution  du  Congres  et  produire  des  certificats  de 
la  ditte  impossibilite,  si  non  I'argent  sera  perdu  pour  eux. 
Les  certificats  serons  signe  de  moy  ou  de  quelque  Depute 
Commandant  de  cette  Comtee  ayant  toujours  recours  aux 
liesses  de  Monnoye  numerotec  et  cachcttee. 

Signe  par  ordre  du  Commandant  en  chef,  July  27,  1779. 


[Order  to  hold  Court,  page  21:] 

To  Gabriel  Cerre,  &c.,  Esqrs,  Judges  of  the  Court  for 
the  District  of  Kaskaskia: 

You  are  Hereby  Authorized  &  required  to  Hold  and 
Constitute  a  Court  on  Satterday,  the  21st  of  July,  at  the 
Usiall  place  of  Holding  Court,  within  yr  District,  any 
adjournment  to  the  Contrary  notwithstanting. 

Provided  that  no  Suitor  or  partey  be  compeled  to  an- 
sware  any  prosess  upon  said  Day  unless  properly  sumoned 
by  the  Clark  &  Shirriff. 

Given  under  my  Hand  &  Seal  at  Kaskaskia,  July  31st, 
1779.  John  Todd. 


m 


[Letter  to  Spanish  Commandant  at  Ste.  Genevieve, 

page  21:] 

Aux  Kaskaskas,  9  d'Aout,  1779. 

Monsieur  Cartabonne,  Comdt  St.  Genevieve: 

II  sera  a  I'advantage  de  chaque  Gouvernment  que  tout 
voitures  en  commerce  partant  des  Illinois,  seront  oblige  a 
livrer  leur  effets  ou  Carguaisons  dans  le  Ports  de  Sa 
Majeste  Catholique  qui  sont  situe  enbas  de  ce  Poste,  et 
qui  les  Proprictaires  donne  leurs  obligations  cautionc  dans 
les  Offices  respectives,  avant  quils  *iuront  permission  pour 


JOHN   TODDS   KECORD-BOOK. 


I7S 


leurs  depart,  Tadvantage  d'un  tel  arangement  avec  le  Gour- 
vernment  Espagnole  et  trop  clair  pour  en  demander  des 
explanations,  en  sort  que  tout  commerce  de  notre  Bord 
se  jetterai  parmis  nos  Amis.'  L'advantage  a  I'Etat  de 
Virginie  sera  que  nos  Enmis  de  Natchez  et  Manchac 
seront  deprive  de  tout  provisions  decendons  de  notre  Posts. 

Je  soit  d'avoir  votre  reponse  a  cet  convention  par  le 
Porteur  si  ca  sera  possible.  Comme  de  quasi  sert  til  que 
je  contraindre  nos  Inhabitants,  quand  les  Garrisons  des 
Anglais  peuve  etre  fournis  dans  leurs  besoins  par  vos 
Sujets. 

Jai  aucune  nouvelles  a  vous  communique  hors  que  le  le 
Colonel  Clark  n'a  pas  encore  parti  du  Post  Vincennes. 

Si  en  cas  quelques  Ennemis  vous  interrompe  et  que  nos 
forces  peuve  vous  rendu  Service,  Je  suis  ordonne  depart 
du  Gouverneur  de  la  Virginie  de  vous  envoyer  des  Secours. 

Jai  I'honneur  d'etre  tout  parfait. 


[Proclamation,  page  22:] 

The  Inhabitants  of  Kaskaskia  are  for  the  last  time 
invited  to  contract  with  the  persons  appointed  for  pro- 
vision, especially  Flower,  for  the  Troops  who  will  shortly 
be  here.  I  hope  they'll  use  properly  the  Indulgeance  of 
a  mild  Government.  If  I  shall  be  obliged  to  give  the 
military  permission  to  press,  it  will  be  a  disadvantage, 
and  what  ought  more  to  influence  Freemen  it  will  be  a 
dishonor  to  the  people. 

.   Published  by  order  of  the  Commit  in  chief  at  Kaskas- 
kia, nth  Augt,  1779. 

Sent  to  Mons'  Leyba  a  Letter  to  the  Same  Eflfect  & 
reed  an  Answer. 


176 


EARLY   ILLINOIS. 


i 


1 

\ 

t 

' 

I 

■\    " 

t 

II 

II 

1 

1 

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6 


[Form  of  Draft  on  Governor  of  Virginia,  page  23:] 

To  his  Excellency  the  Governor  of  Virginia: 

Please  to  pay  to  C  D  or  Order  the  sum  of  Dollars 

which  is  due  to  him  from  the  State  of  Virginia  for  sun- 
dries furnished  the  Militia  &  Indians,  as  appears  by 
Vouchers   to   me   rendered. 

Given  under  my  hand  at  Kaskaskia,  the   nth  August, 
1779. 

Mr.  J.  B.  Z.  LaCroix,     Dol.  78,     Augt  11,  1779. 


[Proclamation,  pages  23-4:] 

Illinois,  to  wit:  Whereas  the  Demands  of  the  State 
require  that  a  Stock  of  Provision  be  immediately  laid  for 
the  use  of  the  Troops  of  the  Common- Wealth,  and  that 
an  Embargo  be  laid  upon  such  Provision  for  a  limited 
time. 

I  do  therefore  issue  this  Proclamation  stritely  enjoining 
all  Inhabitants  and  others  in  the  County  of  Illinois  from 
exporting  either  by  Land  or  Water  any  Provisions  what- 
soever for  the  space  of  Sixty  days,  unless  I  shall  have 
assurance  before  that  time  that  a  sufficient  Stock  is  laid 
up  for  the  Troops  or  sufficient  Security  is  given  to  the 
Contractors  for  its  delivery  whenever  required. 

The  Offender  herein  shall  be  subjected  to  Imprison- 
ment for  One  Month  and  more  over  forfeit  the  value  of 
such  exported  Provision. 

Given  under  my  hand  and  seal  at  Kaskaskias,  22nd 
August,  1779. 

Les  Demandes  de  L'Etat  requerant  qu'une  quantite  de 
Provisions  soyent  immediatement  serree  pour  L'usage  des 
des  Troupes  de  la  Republique,  Et  qu'un  Embargo  soit  mis 
sur  toutes  Provisions  pour  un  Tems  limite. 


•  U 


wm 


JOHN   TODD'S   RECORD-BOOK. 


177 


age  23:] 

Dollars 
,  for  sun- 
pears   by 

h  August, 
9- 


the  State 

y  laid  for 

and  that 

a  limited 

enjoining 
nois  from 
ons  what- 
ihall  have 
ck  is  laid 
en  to  the 

Imprison- 
e  value  of 

:ias,  22nd 


En  consequence  de  quay  Je  public  cette  proclamation 

pour  defendre  strictement  a  tous  les  Habitants  et  autres 

I  dans  les  Compte  des  Illinois,  d'Exporter  par  Terre  ou  par 

Eau,  aucunne  Espece  de  revisions  que  ce  Soit,  a  com- 

mencer   immediatement   et   durer  I'Espace   de   Soixante 

I  Jours,  amoin  qu'une  quantite  suffisant  pour  les  Troupes  ne 

soit  remise,  ou  que  Surete  soit  donne  aux  Contracteurs 

V   pour  la  delivree  des  dittes  Provisions  a  leur  demande. 

Touttes  Personnes  qui  Contreviendront  a  la  presente 
Proclamation,  seront  Sujits  a  Un  mois  d'Emprisonment,  et 
a  la  Confiscation  des  Provisions  qu'ils  auront  exporte  ou 
la  Valeur. 

Donne  sous  ma  Main  et  Sceau  aux  Kaskaskias,  le  22 
d'Aout,  1779. 


[Notice  concerning  Called-in  Currency,  page  24:] 
Illinois,  to  wit: 

The  publick  are  notified  that  after  tomorrow  no  more 
Certificates  will  be  Granted  at  Kaskaskia  to  Persons  pro- 
ducing the  called  in  Emmissions. 

Published  by  Order,  Augt.  22nd,  1779. 

Le  public  est  Notifie  qua'pres  demain,  il  ne  sera  plus 
donne  de  Certificat  aux  Kaskaskia,  aux  Personnes  qui  pro- 
duirent  des  Argents  des  dattes  lappeller. 

Public  par  Ordre,  Le  22  d'Aout,  1779. 


uantite  de 
usage  des 
o  soit  mis 


[Record  of  Order  on  Governor  of  Virginia,  page  25:] 

October  7th,  1779.  Order  given  pat.  Mc  Crosky  on  the 
Govt-  for  140  Dollars,  dated  at  Kasa  7th  Oct.  1779  (No.  2) 
(140),  by  certificate  from  Mr.  Helm. 


;^ 


178 


EARLY    ILLINOIS. 


jj 


[Condemnation  Proceeding,  pages  25,  26;] 

Advertised  by  notifying  at  the  Door  of  the  Church  of 
Kaskaskia  the  Half  a  lot  above  the  Church,  Joing  Picard 
on  the  East  &  Langlois  on  the  West,  that  unless  some 
person  should  appear  &  support  their  Claim  to  the  said 
Lot  within  three  Days  it  should  he  condemned  to  the  Use 
of  the  Commonwealth.  S^  notification  was  dated  4th 
Oct.,  1779. 

Ilinois,  to  wit:  Whereas  after  publickly  calling  upon 
any  peron  or  persons  to  shew  &  make  appear  any  Claim 
which  they  might  have  to  a  certain  Lot  of  Land  contain- 
ing one  half  acre  be  the  same  more  or  less  lying  in  the 
Town  of  Kaskaskia  near  the  Church,  adjoining  Mons. 
Picard  on  the  East  &  Mons.  Langlois  on  the  West,  &  after 
delaying  &  waiting  the  appointed  time  &  no  person  yet 
appearing  to  claim  the  same  against  the  Commonwealth 
of  Virginia,  I  do  declare  &  adjudge  the  said  Lot  to  belong 
to  the  said  commonwealth,  &  that  all  persons  whatsoever 
be  thenceforth  debarred  &  precluded  forever  from  any 
Claim  thereto.  Given  under  my  Hand  at  Kaskaskia  the 
13th  day  of  October  in  the  fourth  year  of  the  Common- 
wealth, Annog  Domani  1779.  JN©  ToDD,  Jr. 


Copy  of  a  Grant  to  Col.  Montgomery.     [Page  26.] 
[Remainder  of  the  page  containing  the  Grant  torn  out] 


[Court  Record,  page  27:) 

La  Cour  a  ete  ouverte  le  cinq  juin  Mil  sept  cent  quatre- 
vingt  sept.  Et  La  renvoye  au  cinq  du  mois  juiliet  prochain 
au  Kaskaskias,  le  5  juin,  1787, 

Henry  Smith. 


^i^m^ 


r^m 


JOHN    TODDS   RECOKD-HOOK. 


179 


[Oath  of  Allegiance,  page  28:] 
I  do  swear  on  the  Holy  evangelists  of  almighty  god 
that  I  Renounce  all  Fidelity  to  george  the  third,  King  of 
Great  Brittan,  his  Heirs  and  Sucessors,  and  that  I  will 
bear  true  allegiance  to  the  united  States  of  America,  as 
free  and  Independant,  as  declared  by  Congress,  and  that  I 
will  not  do,  nor  cause  to  be  done,  any  matter  or  thing  that 
may  be  injurious  or  Prejudicial  to  the  independce  of  said 
states;  and  that  I  will  make  Known  to  some  one  Justice 
of  the  Peace  for  the  united  States  all  Treasonous,  all 
Treatorous,  conspiracies,  which  may  come  to  my  Knowl- 
edge to  be  formed  against  said  united  States  or  any  one 
of  them.     So  help  me  God. 

Sworn  at  Kaskaskias,  10  July,  1782.     jAMES  MooRE. 


[Court  Record,  pages  29-36:] 

La  cour  ce  tien  le  25  e  juiliet,  1787,  a  neuf  heure  Du 
matin. 

La  cour  est  envoye  au  ventdeux  du  mois  d'aous  au  Kas- 
kaskias, le  25  e  juiliet,  1787. 

Antoine  Bauvais.     Fr.  Corset.     J.  S.  G.  Bauvais. 

ViTALE  Bauvais.        La  Chanse.     L.  Brazaux. 

1787. 
La  cour  est  ouverte  ajourdhui  vingt  sept   de  Septem- 
|bre  mil  sept  cent  quatre  vingt  et  sept. 

Present,  M'-  Antoine  Beauvais,  president  et  St.  geme 
iBeauvais,  et  Vital  Beauvais  et  frangois  Corset  et  Louis 
iBrazeau. 

J.  S.  G.  Bauvais.    Vitale  Bauvais.    L.  Brazaux. 
Antoine  Bauvais,  Fr.  Corset. 

La  cour  est  renvoye  au  quinze  du  mois  Octobre  au  Kas., 
[le  27  7bre,  1787. 

Vitale  Bauvais.    Antoine  Bauvais.    Fr.  Corset. 
J.  S.  G.  Bauvais.  L.  Brazaux. 


i8o 


EARLY   ILLINOIS. 


• 


( 


(• 


Aujourd'hui  quinzieme  jour  du  mois  octobre  mil  sept 
cent  quatre  vingt  sept.  La  cour  tenant  a  neuf  heurs  du- 
matin.  La  cour  est  renvoye  a  deux  heurs  apre  midi  ajourd 
hui.  La  Chanse.  Vitale  Bauvais. 

Fk.  Corset.  J.  S.  G.  Bauvais. 

La  cour  est  ouvert  a  I  hcur  dits  deux  heures  apremidi. 
La  cour  est  renvoye  le  quinze  dumois  Novembre,  prochain 
au  Kaskaskias,  le  quinzieme  Octobre  Mil  sept  cent  quatre 
vingt  sept  (la  cour  tenante). 

La  Chanse.  J.  S.  G.  Bauvais. 

Fr.  Corset.  Vitale  Bauvais. 

Aujourd'hui  vingt  cinquieme  Octobre  mil  sept  cent 
quatre  vingt  sept.  La  cour  par  extra  hordinaire  a  la  de- 
mande,  de  Mr.  demunbrunt,  et  fran9ois  Carbonaux,  defend- 
eur.     Antoine  Bauvais,  prezidan. 

Vitale  Bauvais.       Fr.  Corset.        L.  Brazaux. 
J.  S.  G.  Bauvais.  La  Chanse. 

La  cour  est  ouverte  cejourd'hui  quinzieme  jour  dumois 
Novembre  Mil  sept  cent  quatrevingt  sept.  La  cour  est 
renvoye  a  un  heure  apremidi.     15  gbre. 

Antoine  Bauvais.      Fr.  Corset.      La  Chanse. 
Vitale  Bauvais.  J.  S.  G.  Bauvais. 

La  cour  est  ouverte  a  im  heure  apremidi  ajourdui.    La 
cour  est  renvoye  dem-'iir  pour  un  affaires  Ic  i6e  gbre  1787. 
Antoine  Bauvais.    Fr.  Corset.    Vitale  Bauvais. 
J.  S.  G.  Bauvais.  La  Chanse. 

■ 

La  cour  est  ouverte  a  neuf  heure  dumatin  le  seize  Novem- 
bre Mil  sept  cent  quatrevingt  sept.  Et  renvoye  a  mercredi 
le  2ie  9bre  1787.  Antoine  Bauvais,  prezidan. 

Vitale  Bauvais.    L.  Brazaux.    J.  S.  G.  Bauvais. 

La  cour  ajumee  jus  qua  Samedi  le  vingt  quatrieme  jour 


^■JMMiMl 


iLiiSSk 


JUHN    TODD'S   RECORD-HOOK. 


I8l 


mil  sept 
^leurs  du- 
idi  ajourd 
l^AIS. 
AIS. 

apremidi. 

prochain 

;nt  quatre 

VMS. 
UVAIS. 

sept  cent 
e  a  la  de- 
X,  defend- 

AZAUX. 


ur  dumois 
I  cour  est 

HANSE. 

as. 

urdui.    La 

5bre  1787. 

Bauvais, 

le  Novem- 
1  mercredi 
rezidan. 

AUVAIS. 

rieme  jour 


du  moi  Novemble,  Mil  sept  cent  quatre  vingt  et  sept.    Est 
ouverte  adeux  lieurs  apremidi  le  jour  et  ans  susdit. 

Antoine  Bauvais,  prezidan. 
JSGB     ViTALE  Bauvais.    Fr.  Corset.    L.  Brazaux. 

La  cour  est  renvoye  au  vingt  Decembre  prochain  au 
Kaskaskias  le  24e  Qbre  1787. 

Antoine  Bauvais,  p:z.  J.  S.  G.  Bauvais. 

L.  Brazaux.     Fr.  Corset.     Vitale  Bauvais. 

La  cour  est  ouverte  par  Extrat  ordinere  ala  demande 
de  Mr.  hugt  hunard,  le  26e  Qbre,  L'an  1787. 

L.  Brazaux.  Fr.  Corset. 

Antoine  Bauvais.        Vitale  Bauvais. 

N.  7,  apartenant  a  M.  hugt  hunard. 
N.  4,  apartenant  a  La  Cour. 

La  cour  est  ouverte  par  extra  ordinaire  le  onzieme  De- 
cembre pour  repandre  ala  presentation  De  M.  hugt  hunard. 
L'an  1787.  Antoine  Bauvais,  p  z 

Vitale  Bauvais.    L.  Brazaux.    Fr.  Corset. 

La  cour  est  ouvert  ajourdhui  vingt  Decembre  l'an  mil 
sept  cent  quatrevingt  sept,  aneuf  heurs  dumatin. 

Vitale  Bauvais.  L.  Brazaux. 

Antoine  Bauvais.  Fr.  Corset. 

La  cour  est  renvoye  au  vint  huit  de  mois.  La  cour  tenant 
ajourd'hui  20  xbre  1787.  Antoine  Bauvais. 

Vitale  Bauvais.      L.  Brazaux.      Fr.  Corset. 

La  cour  en  renvoye  au  cinq  de  Janvier  prochain  au  1 5 
Janvier  prochain  au  Kas  le  28  xbre  1787,  par  le  president. 

Antoine  Bauvais,  prezidan. 

1788. 
L'an  mil  sept  cent  quatrevingt  et  huit,  le  quinzieme  jour 


T^m 


:^wr 


I 


1 


1 


i^ 


l«  • 


182 


EARLY   ILLINOIS. 


dumois  de  Janvier,  a  neuf  heurs  Dumatin,  La  Cour  est 
ouverte;  La  Cour  a  termine  que  chacque  jure  qui  viendrai 
de  la  prairi  du  roche  auront  chacquun  vingt  cinq  livre; 
avons  renvoye  la  cour  adeux  heur  apremidi,  ajour  dhui 
et  pour  cause  dans  le  village  dix  livre. 

VlTALE   BAUVAIS.  L.  BRAZAUX. 

Antoine  Bauvais.  Fr.  Corset. 


La  cour  est  ouverte  adeux  heur  a  pres  midi  au  Kas.  ce 
15  Janvier,  1788. 

1  M.  George  Atchison,  Foreman  ^ 

2  —  James  Lomon 


3  —  George  Bigges 

4  —  Thomas  Bigges 

5  —  Michael  Huff 

6  —  Francis  Clerk 

7  —  Wm.  Bayly 

8  —  Joseph  Worley 

9  —  Joseph  Ogle 

10  —  Samuel  Stevenson 

1 1  —  John  Clark 


John  Edgar  &  Taitt 
Pit,  agt 

Tiiomas  Green,  Deft 


De  faux  de  Compa- 
rection. 

Also  a  Jury  wherein 

Daniel  McEl  Duff,  Pit 

and 
Thomas  Green,  Deft 


12  —  James  Orr 

La  cour  a  termine  qui  chacque  jure  qui  viendront  de 
Labelle  fontaine,  en  cette  qualite  qui  I'auront  chacuii 
La  somme  de  quarante  cinq  livre  chacun,  au  Kas  le  15 
Janvier,  1788.  La  somme  a  chacque  jure  de  quarant  cinq- 
livre  au  Kas  lejours  et  ans,  aprouve  si  moi  jur  charge  dc 
quarante  cinqlivre.  Antoine  Bauvais,  p  nt 

Est  comparu  par  nos  ordres  Monsieur  Jean  Edgar,  aia 
requition  de  M.  jean  Duff,  pour  declarer  cequil  a'tendu 
dire  par  M.  jean  Dodge,  a  dit  amondet  lui,  Edgar  a  mepar- 
lent  amoi  meme.  Cinq  jours  apres  mon  arive,  en  cettc 
viile  des  Cas. 

Je  suis  capable  de  vous  instruit  des  carater  des  gens  de 


'"  •••••■nfiairii   ninn 
IM 


1  w 


JOHN   TODD  S    RECORD-BOOK. 


183 


ce  peyees.  Monsieur  Enri  Smith  il  a  la  une  bonne  habita- 
tion, M.  Smits,  est  un  grand  vilHn  coquin,  M,  Dodge  ma  dit 
quil  ete  capable  de  le  faire  venire  sure  un  peau  d'an  pour 
le  faire  fouette.  Consernant  des  Marchandisse  roti  au  fort 
gefersonne;*  M.  Dodge  lui  a  dit  que  M.  Smith  soutenoit 
ce  le  contraire  jusqua  ceque  M.  Dodge,  lui  a  fait  voir.  Ces 
fautes  alors  M.  Dodge  laquitte.  M.  Dodge,  a  dit  bon  pour 
rester  amis  avec  les  gens  la,  par  ceque  Leurs  argent  est 
aussi  bonne  Comme  celle  d'un  autres  Et  le  dit  jure  a  per- 
site  a  sa  declaration  que  c'etait  la  verite  a  ]z  cour  tenant  ce 
25  juiiiet,  1787,  et  assigne,    J  NO.  Edgar, 

Antoine  Bauvais,  Magistra. 

Vu  Les  deposition  des  opinions  de  jures  qui  ont  termine 
L'affaire  entre  M.  Tomas  Green  defendeur  et  Daniel 
Duff  plentif.  Lesquelle  sont  reconnu  que  M.  green  et 
Comptable,  pour  les  dommages  de  M.  Daniel  Miche  Duff 
la  somme  de  vingt  piastre,  avec  les  frais  qui  enver  re- 
sulte  de  la  dite  affaire  au  Kaskaskias,  le  quinze  Janvier, 
mil  sept  cent  quatre-vingt  huit,  et  suivant  L'ordonnance. 

ANTOINE  Bauvais,  p.  nt. 

La  Cour  est  renvoye  au  quinz  de  fevrie  mil  sept  cent 
quatre-vingt  huit.  FR.  CORSET, 

ViTALE  Bauvais.  L.  Brazaux. 

ANTOINE  Bauvais. 

La  Cour  est  ouverte  le  quinzieme  fevrie  1788.  A  neuf 
heure  Du  matin,  Messire  antoine  Beauvais  president,  et  St. 
gene  Bauvais  et  Vital  Beauvais,  Louis  Brazaux,  et  fran^ois 
Corsette,  tous  magistrat,  ANTOINE  Bauvais. 

ViTALE  Bauvais.  L.  Brazaux. 

St.  G.  Bauvais.  fr.  corset. 

*  Fort  Jefferson  was  established  in  1780  by  Virginia,  upon  the  recommen- 
Idation  of  Clark  and  Todd,  at  the  Iron  Banks  on  the  east  bank  of  the  Missia- 
[sippi,  just  below  the  junction  of  the  Ohio.     It  was  evacuated  June  8,  1781. 

— E.  o.  M. 


i         1 


I 


Jilj- 


I  \ 


184 


EARLY   ILLINOIS. 


La  Cour  est  renvoye  jusqu'a  qu'il  soite  fait  une  assem- 
bleee  par  Le  public;  Au  Kaskias,  le  15^  fevrie  et  que  La 
Cour  soit  Complette  de  son  magistrat,  et  qu'il   soit  con- 
voque  par  M.  Barbau,  Lt.  de  Courte,  de  jour  et  ans, 
.   ANTOiNE  Bauvais,  m.    L.  Brazaux.    fr.  corset. 

VlTALE   BEAUVAIS. 


Dr.  Peltry  Account,  [pages  37,  38] 

To  Government  for  my  Drafts  in  favor  of  Monsieur 
Beaurgarde  for  30000  Dollars  value  thereof  received 
as  pr  his  Acct.  dated  St.  Louis,  14th  Sept.  1779,  Vizt: 

Peltrys  gr.  to  the  amount  of  ;^2iooo 

Paper  Currency         Dlls.  loooo 

Per  Contra.  Cr. 

By  m/a  for  Sundries  4  charges  ;^349  10  — 

By  Colo.  John  Montgomery  paid  as 

p  his  order  297  10  — 

By  the  Garrison  at  Kaskaskias  furnished 
for  them  p  Order  Colonel  Montgomery,  Vizt: 

2  Hhds  Taffia     @  340;^     ;^68o 


150  lb  Sugar      @ 

35s 

262 

10 

75  lb  Coffee 

35s 

131 

5 

7  Bear  Skins 

3;^ 

18 

Charges  Vizt: 

2  Bags 

£7 

Cart  hire 

2 

Taffia  &  Bread  to 

the  Soldiers 

6 

15 

II06  15  — 

By  the  Garrison  at  Cahokias  purchased  for  and  de- 
livered Capt.  McCarty  as  receipt,  Vizt : 


JOHN  TODD'S  RECORD-BOOK. 

1  Hhd  Taffia  ;^34o 
100  lb  Gunpowder  @  6£  600 
300  lb  Lead             @  los  154 

75  lb  Sugar  35    131     5 

30  lb  Coffee  35      52   10 

Charges  Vizt: 

2  Bags        jCy 

Cart  hire        2  9 


185 


1286  15  — 


By  assumd  to  Capt.  Janis  200  lb  for  Moses  Henry. 
Oct.  24th  By  Francois  Charleville  400  lb  Pr  Col.  Montg.  Ord 
—  25  By  Baptiste  Charleville  150  Pr  Col.  Montg. 

Charles  Charleville  1290  P^  Col.  Montg.  a/c 

3040  10  — 


[Entries  by  Col.  Todd's  Successor,  page  39:] 

February  1782. 

Arrived  a  Small  Tribe  of  the  Wabash  Indians  Implor- 
ing the  paternal  Succour  of  their  Father  the  Bostonians 
heaving  their  Patent  from  Major  Linctot,  in  Consequence 
I  did  on  Behalf  of  the  Commonwealth  give  them  Six 
Bushells  Indian  Corn,  Fifty  pounds  of  Bread,  four  Pounds 
of  Gun  Powder,  Ten  Pounds  of  Ball,  and  One  Gallon  of 
Taffia  from  Carbonneaux. 

March  22d.  Came  here  Deputy's  from  the  Delawares, 
Shawanoe,  and  Cherokee  nations  of  Indians,  Begging  that 
the  americans  wold  Grant  them  Pease  as  likewise  the 
French  and  Spanish  and  after  hearing  their  Talk,  Smoaking 
the  pipe  of  peace  and  friendship  with  them,  and  from 
their  Conduct  while  here  as  well  as  many  marks  they  gave 
us  of  their  Sincerety  I  could  not  avoid  Giving  them  On 
Behalf  of  the  Americans  the  Following  articles,  Viz,, 

10  Bushells  Indian  Corn, 


■ 


!  I 


,      1 1 


!    „ 


i       I'- 


1 86 


EARLY   ILLINOIS. 


100  lb.  Flour,  and  lOO  lb.  Bisquit, 
6  lb.  Tobaco,  one  Gallon  Tafia, 
5  lb.  wampam  and  canoe— which  cost  me  20  Dollars. 

[In  pencil]     "The  above  [was  written]   by  Thimothe 
Demunbrunt  Lt.  Comd.  par  interim,  &c." 


[Written  on  the  inside  of  back  cover  of  book:] 

Memo.  1779- 

14  June,  M.  Kemp,  D.   to  i>^  yds.  Blue  Cloth  for  a  Cape 
for  Isaac. 

Mrs.  to  2  lbs.  Cotton  from  Mad.  Bent- 

ley's  Store,  14th  June.     • 

M.  Smith,  Hugh,  To  a  Bill  for  12  Dollars  in  pel- 
try, drawn  upon  Mr.  Gratiot. 


T. T  ^    ,      ,        .  Nous,  Thimothe 
Nota  bene.        (  ^  t  4.  /-      ^v 

)  Demunbrunt,  Lt.  Comd  t. 


( Par  interim,  &c.,  &c.,  &c. 


rvs:!!^'^'.!  Ar  wB!'!i'ffmwT'*" 


lollars. 
Thimothe 


ok:] 

for  a  Cape 
lad.  Bent- 
ars  in  pel- 


.t.  Comd't. 
&c.,  &c. 


JOHN-TODD    PAPERS. 


Col.  John  Todd,  Jr.,  to  Governor  of  Virginia.* 

From  "Canadian  Archives" — "Haldimand  Papers" — Series  B, 
Vol.  1 84- 1,  page  124. 

Kaskaskias,  1 8th  Augt.,  1779. 

May  it  please  your  Excellency: — By  Letters  which  I  had 
the  honour  of  writing  to  you  by  Col.  Slaughter,  dated 
early  in  July,  I  gave  your  Excellency  a  full  account  of  the 
situations  of  this  country,  since  which  nothing  important 
has  happened  here.  Col.  Clark,  I  suppose,  is  by  this  time 
at  the  Falls  of  Ohio,  and  as  the  Expedition  aginst  Detroit 
is  declined  he  will  probably  wait  upon  you  in  person. 
Col.  Rogers  has  arrived  from  Orleans  &  will  be  the  Bearer 
hereof  or  send  it  by  the  earliest  opportunity :  I  am  uneasy 
in  knowing  that  the  accounts  he  will  render  concerning  the 
quantity  as  well  as  the  bad  condition  of  the  goods  cannot 
be  satisfactory.  Who  is  to  blame  in  it.^  The  Batteau 
Masters  who  brought  it  up  .'*  The  person  in  whose  care  it 
was  left  at  St.  Louis  or  the  conductor  of  our  stores  or  all 
of  them,  I  cannot  determine.  The  taking  &  disposing  of 
them  was  (perhaps  necessarily)  planned,  &  in  part  exe- 
Icuted,  before  my  arrival.  The  conductor's  powers  &  in- 
jstructions  were  in  no  part  derived  from  me,  nor  was  he 
answerable  to  me  for  any  malfeasance  in  ofifice.  Col.  Clark 
[will,  I  doubt  not,  satisfy  you  in  this  matter. 

I  wish  the  opprotunity  by  Col.  Rogers  were  safer:    I 

*  The  original  of  this  letter  is  among  the  "Haldimand  Papers,"  and  was 
jintercepted  on  its  way  from  Kaskaskia  to  AVilliiimsburg  by  some  one  in  the 
[service  of  Great  Britain,  and  carried  to  C^n?da.--E.  c.  m. 

13-33-3  .  187         .  ;.    .  ;    :     ,. 


lit    1  >  ' 


1 88 


EARLY   ILLINOIS. 


ti  < 


I  ! 


have  15  or  20  thousand  dollars  to  send  down  on  public 
account.  I  have  required  that  all  the  money  of  the  called 
in  emissions  be  sealed  up,  &  stopped  from  circulating,  of 
which  I  expect  we  have  in  the  Country  20  or  30  thousand 
dollars  more.  I  have  recommended  that  the  People  wait 
some  future  opportunity  more  safe  for  sending  it  down. 
The  Resolve  of  Congress  bears  hard  upon  Illinois,  where 
the  risque  is  so  great.  If  Congress  have  not  yet  made 
provision  for  the  reception  of  the  Money,  I  hope  your 
Excellency  will  apply  to  Congress.  I  shall  be  cautious 
that  none  of  the  called-in  Emissions  be  brought  into  this 
Country  or  certified  which  may  come  from  any  part  of  the 
States  where  the  owners  had  an  opportunity  of  exchang- 
ing it. 

1 110  visiting  the  different  Districts  of  my  charge  has  so 
engaged  me  that  I  have  not  had  time  to  prepare  answers 
to  the  Queries  delivered  me  by  some  Gentlen.  of  your 
Honble.  Board.  As  to  Indian  Grants  it  may  be  necessary 
immediately  to  inform  you,  that  they  are  almost  number- 
less, only  four  of  them  are  very  considerable,  the  smallest 
of  which  will  be  near  a  1,000,000  acres,  and  the  whole 
between  7  &  8  millions  of  acres.  The  grantees  all  reside 
in  Philadelphia,  London,  Pennsylvania,  &  Virginia,  &  are 
between  40  &  50,  merchants  chiefly.  How  far  it  may  be 
proper  to  make  such  contracts  binding  upon  the  Indians, 
I  cannot  say.  I  submit  it  to  your  Excellency  whether  it  is 
not  necessary  to  prevent  Indian  Grants  by  other  methods 
than  making  void  the  purchase.  I  mean  by  fines,  and  at 
the  same  time  to  prevent  under-fines,  &c.  the  making  any 
settlements  within  the  charter  Bounds  of  this  State,  except 
under  certain  Permissions  &  Regulations:  This  I  appre- 
hend to  be  necessary  immediately,  as  some  Land  jobbers 
from  the  South  side  of  Ohio  have  been  making  improve- 
ments  (as  they  call  ;thom)  •  upon  the  purchas'd  Lands  on 
this  side  the  Rivej-J^pd  ^re  beyond  the  reach  of  punish- 


' ' » •  <  •  t 


.11 


•  •  ••    ♦  •    •  *,» 


iiMiiii 


mttmmmmtmm'^f 


•m 


JOHN-TODD   PAPERS, 


189 


on  public 
the  called 
rulating,  of 
0  thousand 
*eople  wait 
y  it  down, 
lois,  where 
yet  made 
hope  your 
•e  cautious 
it  into  this 
part  of  the 
r  exchang- 

irge  has  so 
re  answers 
n.  of  your 
i  necessary 
3t  number- 
le  smallest 
the  whole 

all  reside 
inia,  &  are 
it  may  be 
le  Indians, 
lether  it  is 
r  methods 
les,  and  at 
laking  any 
ate,  except 
s  I  appre- 
id  jobbers 
J  improve- 

Lands  on 
of  punish- 


ment from  me — with  the  arrival  of  New  adventurers  this 
summer,  the  same  spirit  of  Land  jobbing  begins  to  breathe 
here. 

I  expected  to  have  been  prepared  to  present  to  your 
Excellency  some  amendments  upon  the  form  of  Govern- 
ment for  Illinois,  but  the  present  will  be  attended  with  no 
great  inconveniences  till  the  Spring  Session,  when  I  beg 
your  permission  to  attend  and  get  a  Discharge  from  an 
Office,  which  an  unwholesome  air,  a  distance  from  my  con- 
nexions, a  Language  not  familiar  to  me,  and  an  impossi- 
bility of  procuring  many  of  the  conveniences  of  Life  suit- 
able; all  tend  to  render  uncomfortable. 

As  to  military  affairs,  Col:  Clark  will  offer  your  Excel- 
lency observations  on  that  Head,  which  I  wish  to  defer, 
being  more  his  province. 

Perhaps  an  additional  Agent  for  supplying  the  Indians 
with  goods  may  be  necessary,  Mr.  Lindsay's  Commission 
was  for  no  more  than  10,000  Dollars,  which  he  will  soon 
dispose  of  to  the  Indians  &  our  soldiers,  who,  I  suppose 
will  expect  their  Clothing  from  him. 

I  have  given  a  Letter  of  Recommendation  as  an  Agent 
to  a  Gentleman  lately  from  New  Orleans,  who  set  off"  with 
Col.  Rogers,  Mons.  Perrault. 

If  an  expedition  should  be  ordered  against  the  Natchez,, 
there  cannot  be  any  great  dependence  placed  on  the  Illi- 
nois furnishing  more  than  100,000  lbs.  of  Flour,  and  sup- 
porting the  Troops  now  here,  and  scarcely  any  Beef 

I  have  not  heard  from  Williamsburg  since  January. 

I  am,  with  greatest  respect,  &c,, 

John  Todd,  Jr. 
His  Excellency  the  Governor  of  Virginia. 

[Endorsed:]  Copy  of  a  letter  from  Jno.  Todd,  Jr.,  to  the 
Governor  of  Virginia,  dated  Kaskaskias,  i8th  Augt,  1779. 


|h>«a 


r: 


w 


t1 


!i! 


190 


EARLY   ILLINOIS. 


John  Page  Lieut:  Govr,  to  John  Todd,  Co  Lieut: 

&c  Illinois  Co. 

From  "Calendar  of  Virginia  State  Papers,"  Vol.  I,  326. 

Williamsburg,  August  i6,  1779. 

Sir: — Your  several  Letters  of  the  ist  &  2nd  ultimo,  by 
Col:  Slaughter,  this  day  were  handed  to  me  in  the  Gover- 
nors absence — I  laid  them  before  the  Board,  who  were 
pleased  with  their  contents  &  exprefsed  their  approbation 
of  your  Conduct  &  of  your  plan  for  supporting  the  Credit 
of  the  paper  money,  but  this  must  be  submitted  to  the 
consideration  of  the  Afsembly,  who  alone  can  determine 
on,  or  give  Efficacy  to  that  measure.         *         *         * 

It  is  to  be  wished  that  more  Troops  had  been  sent  into 
the  Illinois  at  first,  however  so  much  has  been  done  by 
the  few  there,  as  to  redound  greatly  to  their  Credit  &  that 
of  their  gallant  Commander — We  hope  that  the  favourable 
Disposition  of  the  Canadians,  &  our  late  succefses  to  the 
Northward  &  Southward  will  pave  the  way  for  Colo. 
Clarke  to  Detroit  &  make  the  acquisition  of  it  easy — and 
that  the  Battalion  which  we  are  now  raising  to  be  marched 
into  your  Country  will  enable  him  to  surmount  any  ob- 
stacle which  way  be  thrown  into  his  way. 

The  Board  approve  of  your  erecting  the  small  Fort  you 
propose  &  giving  the  Command  to  Col:  Slaughter — Being 
in  haste  I  can  only  add  that  I  am, 

yr:  mo:  obt  humble  Servannt 


Col.  John  Todd,  Jr.,  to  Col.  P.  Legras. 

From  the  original  in  the  State  Capitol  at  Richmond,  Va. 

Kaskaskia,  23d  Augst,  1779. 
5/r.'— You'ill  please  to  require  immediately  that  both 
the  called  in   Emmissions  of  Continental    Money  to  be 
sealed  up  &  stopped  from  Circulating,  &  give  the  person 


m 


^  Servannt. 


JOHN-TODD    PAPERS. 


191 


owing  them  a  certificate,  no  matter  whether  in  French  or 
English.  The  Certificate  will  be  necessary  for  this  reason, 
because  after  the  first  June  it  was  lost  to  the  owner  by- 
order  of  Congress,  if  it  was  not  paid  into  some  Continental 
office.  The  Congress,  I  expect,  have  made  provision  for 
Ilinois  on  account  of  the  Impossibility  of  transmitting  it 
down  by  the  ist  of  June.  It  is  therefore  necessary  that 
Ilinois  money  be  prevented  from  mixing  with  any  other, 
less  the  whole  be  rejected  on  that  account.  I  inclose  you 
a  copy  of  the  certificates  granted  by  me,  with  the  adver- 
tisement. It  would  be  best  to  affix  a  day  after  which  you 
will  seal  and  certify  no  more.  Let  the  whole  be  done  with 
one  seal,  the  better  to  prevent  confusion.  I  cannot  have 
the  pleasure  to  see  St.  Vincenne  by  the  time  proposed. 
Col.  Clark's  Departure  will  occasion  me  to  stay  longer  than 
I  intended.  Write  me  the  news  by  every  opportunity,  and 
in  cases  of  Importance  send  me  an  Express. 

I  am,  sir,  your  mo.  obed.  &  humble  servant, 

JNO.  Todd,  Jr. 

Col.  P.  Legras,  or  officer  commanding  the  Villlage  of 
St.  Vincenne  (per  favor  of  Capt.  Gamelin). 

I  have  prohibited  by  proclamation  the  exportation  of 
I  provision  from  this  country  for  a  certain  time,  which  you 
I  will  endeavour  to  put  in  execution  with  you.    J.  Todd,  Jr. 


Col.  John  Todd,  Jr.,  to  Oliver  Pollock. 

From  the  original  in  the  State  Capitol  at  Richmond,  Va. 

Sir: — Accompanying  this  are  letters  to  Gov.  Galvez  and 
[yourself  from  the  Virginia  Board  of  Trade,  to  be  sent  by 
I  the  way  of  Kaskaskias.     A  late  packet  from  Govt,  to  my- 
self have  been  miscarried,  or  I  could  inform  you  with  more 
certainty  whether  Some  Bank  is  not  established  in  Europe 


I 


^ 


192 


EARLY   ILLINOIS. 


■ 

I 
1 

1 

m 


L 


n 


I.  ]) 


to  give  credit  to  your  Draughts  made  on  behalf  of  this 
State.  There  is,  or  will  be  certainly,  perhaps  in  l^ordeaux. 
I  wish,  as  I  before  informed  you,  for  a  list  of  all  the  Bills 
drawn  upon  you,  with  notes  of  those  ans'd  and  pro,  jsted. 
I  could  wish  you  had  been  better  informed  of  the  authority 
and  Rank  of  some  of  the  United  States  officers,  as  well  as 
our  own.  I  fear  numbers  unauthorized  have  drawn  for 
private  purposes.  Colo.  Clark's  &  Roger's  Bills  were  drawn 
from  the  necessity  of  their  situation,  and  will  undoubtedly 
be  approved.  Any  other  Bills  are  voidable,  tho'  perhaps 
not  yet  void.  The  purpose  for  which  they  were  drawn 
may  assist  you  in  judging  therein.  But  observe  no  per- 
sons whatever  in  the  Western  Department  either  is  or  ever 
has  been  authorised  by  the  Govt,  of  Virginia  to  draw  upon 
any  person  but  the  Govr.  or  Treasurer. 

The  State  will  shortly  need  another  supply  of  goods  for 
the  Troops  in  this  quarter.  The  private  authority  given 
Mr.  Lindsay  last  year,  with  the  letter  to  yourself  and  my 
wants,  are  neither  out  of  date,  and  you  will  still  oblige  me 
by  observing  their  contents.  I  hope  shortly  to  hear  that 
the  Missisipi  harbours  no  nations  the  Enemy  to  the  com- 
merce &  Rights  of  America.  Whether  Britain  be  humbled 
by  the  arms  of  a  powerful  monarch  or  our  Infant  States, 
my  Joy  will  be  equal.  Govr.  Galvez'  literary  and  military 
Character  are  much  talk'd  of  in  Virginia,  amongst  whom 
he  is  held  in  highest  Estimation.  I  beg  you  would  present 
him  with  profer  of  my  services  and  thanks  for  the  assist- 
ance he  has  render'd  to  a  people  who  do  not  fail  to  repay 
him  in  Gratitude.      (A  copy.)       John  M'Dowell,  Sec'y. 

Mr.  Pollock,  Feb.  9th,  1780. 

[Endorsed:]  The  above  letter  was  found  among  Col. 
Todd's  papers,  without  signature,  but  endorsed  to  Oliver 
Pollock,  Esq.,  and  appears  to  be  Col.  Todd's  handwriting. 

J.D. 


^^lygjil-y 


JOHN-TODD   PAPERS. 


193 


alf  of  this 
l^ordeaux. 
1  the  Bills 

pro,  jsted. 
:  authority 

as  well  as 
drawn  for 
^ere  drawn 
doubtedly 
o'  perhaps 
ere  drawn 
re  no  per- 
•  is  or  ever 
draw  upon 

goods  for 

•rity  given 

If  and  my 

oblige  me 

hear  that 
)  the  com- 
e  humbled 
.nt  States, 
d  military 
gst  whom 
Id  present 
the  assist- 
1  to  repay 
iLL,  Sec'y. 


nong  Col. 
to  Oliver 
idwriting. 
J.D. 


Oliver  Pollock  to  John  Todd,  County  Lieut:  of  Illinois, 

acknowledging  receipt  of  his,  without  date, 

by  the  hands  of  Mons:  Perrault— 

From  "Calendar  of  Virginia  State  Papers,"  Vol.  I,  347. 

New  Orleans,  May  4,  17S0. 

By  this  he  had  received  a  bill  on  France  for  ;^65.8i4^8 
for  his  advances  made  to  Virginia,  but  is  unable  to  nego- 
tiate it  at  that  place,  on  account  of  the  great  scarcity  of 
specie,  which  would  continue  until  a  supply  be  gotten  from 
Havana.  This  gives  him  great  concern,  because  it  pre- 
vents his  using  the  bills  of  Gen:  Clarke  and  other  officers, 
and  therefore  from  procuring  the  supplies  of  Clothing  so 
much  needed  by  them. 

Gov:  Galvez  had  captured  Mobile,  and  is  besiging  Pen- 
sacola, — had  been  created  a  Field  Marshall — fhould  he  be 
successful  at  Pensacola,  and  return  to  New  Orleans,  he 
should  exert  him  to  make  use  of  him — 

By  Post  Script  of  the  26th  he  regrets  to  say — Gov: 
Galvez  has  returned  to  New  Orleans:  not  hav'g  been  sup- 
ported in  time  by  the  expected  fleet  from  Havana,  had 
abondoned  the  Seige  of  Pensacola — He  has  made  applica- 
tion to  Galvez  for  pecuniary  affistance  but  without  success, 
as  that  officer  required  all  his  funds  for  his  own  purposes 
— had  managed  however,  to  negotiate  Clarkes  &  Mont- 
gomerys'  bills,  and  earnestly  begs,  that  those  officers  will 
be  as  frugal  as  poffible  with  the  purchases  made. 


Col.  John  Todd,  Jnr.,  to  Gov.  Jefferson. 

From  "Calendar  of  Virginia  State  Papers,"  Vol.  I,  page  358. 

1780,  June  2,  Richmond. 

Ma}/  it  please  your  Excellency: — On  consulting  with  Col. 
Clark,  we  found  it  impracticable  to  maintain  so  many  posts 


SLaiii: 


194 


EARLY   ILLINOIS. 


.  I 


:t      . 
■J      ■ 


in  the  Illinois  with  so  few  men,  &  concluded  it  better  to 
draw  them  all  to  one  post.  The  Land  at  the  Junction  of 
the  Ohio  &  Mississippi  was  judged  best  suited  for  the 
purpose  as  it  would  command  the  Trade  of  an  extensive 
Country  on  both  sides  of  each  River,  &  might  serve  as  a 
check  to  any  Incroachments  from  our  prese  .Hies,  the 
Spaniards,  whose  growing  power  might  justly  put  us  upon 
our  guard  &  whose  fondness  for  engrossing  Territory  might 
otherwise  urge  them  higher  up  the  River  upon  our  side 
than  we  would  wish.  The  Expenses  in  erecting  this  new 
post  &  victualing  the  men  would  have  been  obstacles  in- 
surmountable without  a  settlement  contiguous  to  the  Gar- 
rison to  support  it,  where  adventurers  would  assist  the 
Soldiers  in  the  heavy  work  of  Building  their  fortifications. 
I  therefore  granted  to  a  certain  number  of  families  four 
hundred  acres  to  each  Family,  at  a  price  to  be  settled  by 
the  General  Assembly,  with  Commissions  for  ''  il  &  Mili- 
tary Ofiicers  &  the  necessary  Instructions.  '^  js  of  the 
principal  of  which  I  herewith  send  you.  The  other  being 
agreable  to  the  printed  forms  heretofore  delivered  me  by 
the  Governor  &  Council. 

Lest  the  withdrawing  our  Troops  from  St.  Vincenne 
might  raise  suspicions  among  the  Citizens,  to  our  dis- 
advantage, I  have  sent  to  Major  Bosseron,  the  then  Dis- 
trict Commandant,  blank  Commissions,  with  powers  to 
raise  one  Company  &  put  them  in  possession  of  the  Gar- 
rison, with  assurance  that  pay  and  rations  sh'd  be  allowed 
them  by  the  Governmnt. 

When  Col.  Clark  left  the  Falls,  his  Officers  &  Men  to 
the  amount  of  perhaps  120  were  all  well  cloathed  except 
in  the  article  of  Linens. 

Mr.  Isaac  Bowman,  with  7  or  8  men  &  one  family,  set 
off  from  Kaskaskia  the  15th  nov:  last  in  a  Batteau,  at- 
tended by  another  Batteau  with  12  men  &  3  or  4  families 
in  it,  bound  to  the  falls  of  Ohio.     I  judged  it  safer  to  send 


b . 


«,T-»«P^  f?r^v-..!<r..-pv^  Ti  y.  J**  1-*''  ■  Ifj 


«-n|«.»i«'flMj.7?r>.^»*.^^» -^- I. 


•^^^^K**.  "l--*.  .  Jfc,., 


JOIIN-TODD   PAPERS. 


195 


to  the  Falls  many  articles  belonging  to  the  Common- 
wealth, by  Bowman,  than  to  bring  them  myself  by  land. 
Bowman's  Batteau  fell  into  the  hands  of  the  Chicksaw 
Indians,  &  the  other  arrived  in  March  or  April  at  the 
French  Lick  on  Cumberland,  with  the  account  that  Bow- 
man and  all  the  men  except  one  Riddle  were  killed  and 
taken. 

I  inclose  your  Excellency  a  List  of  such  articles  as 
belonged  to  the  State,  as  well  as  I  can  make  out  from  my 
detached  memorandums.  My  Books  and  many  necessary 
papers  being  also  lost. 

Many  necessary  Articles  of  Intelligence  yet  remain  un- 
mentioned.  I  will  enjoy  no  Leisure  until  I  shall  have 
fully  acquainted  your  Excellency  with  the  Situation  of 
the  Illinois. 

,      I  have  the  Honor  to  be,  with  the  greatest  respect, 

Yr.  Excellency's  most  obt.  &  humble  servant. 


Genl:  Geo:  Rogers  Clark  to  Colo  John  Todd. 

From  "Calendar  of  Virginia  State  Papers,"  Vol.  I,  338. 

Louisville,  March,  1780. 

Dr  Colo: — By  the  Acts  from  Every  Post  in  the  Illinois 
so  nearly  corresponding,  I  make  no  doubt  of  the  English 
Regaining  the  Interest  of  many  Tribes  of  Indians,  and 
their  designs  agst  the  Illinois  (Perhaps  on  Gov:  Hamiltons' 
plan),  and  without  some  speedy  check  may  prove  fatal  to 
Kentucky  and  the  Total  lofs  of  the  Westrn  Country  on 
the  Mifsifsippi.  I  am  not  clear  but  the  Spaniards  would 
fondly  suffer  their  Settlements  in  the  Illinois  to  fall  with 
ours  for  the  Sake  of  having  the  opertuaity  of  Retaking 
Both.  I  doubt  they  are  too  fond  (of)  Territory  to  think 
of  Restoring  it  again.  Although  there  is  but  few  British 
Troops  on  the  Lakes,  defitiency  is  full  Replaced  by  the 


■■'.— ^-^  .--  -"--^^ 


„.4h«^^«.'  *-'*«^^  •'•■♦W 


-.  1    ■  Jl""-  — 


196 


EARLY   ILLINOIS. 


Immence  quantity  of  goods  they  have,  the  Efifects  of 
which  among  the  Savages  you  well  know,  not  being  apre- 
hensive  of  a  visit,  I  make  no  doubt  of  their  having  planed 
some  Expedition  of  Importance  against  our  Posts,  which 
if  they  gain,  may  be  attended  with  greater  consequences 
than  I  have  Hinted  at,  they  have  greater  opertunities  of 
knowing  our  cituation,  than  we  nave  of  theirs,  which  you 
know  they  could  not  deprive  us  of.  you  well  know  the 
difficulties  we  have  laboured  under  with  our  Joint  Efiferts 
to  maintain  our  Ground,  and  support  our  Interest  among 
the  Savages  in  that  Dept,  and  the  Reasons  why,  which  is 
now  greater  than  Ever,  as  the  bad  Crops  and  the  severity 
of  the  Winter  hath  Rendered  it  Impofsible  for  the  Towns 
in  the  Illinois  to  make  any  further  supplies  until  next  Har- 
vest, the  Troops  being  Intituled  to  a  Discharge  in  a  few 
weeks.  Except  those  that  have  Reinlisted  when  Joined  by 
Capt:  Rogers,  when  armed  will  not  amount  to  more  than 
one  hundred  and  fifty,  which  is  too  few  under  our  present 
circumstances  to  think  of  Deffending  the  diferent  post  we 
now  occupy.  Letters  from  his  Excellency,  and  a  promifs- 
ing  act  from  our  Recruiting  Officers  may  perhaps  soon 
alter  our  apparent  Circumstances,  but  as  yet  Receiving 
no  advice  from  Either,  already  meeting  with  many  disap- 
pointments in  my  Expectations  much  to  the  disadvantage 
of  the  Dept,  a  few  weaks  Hesitation  may  be  productive  of 
long  future  disadvantage.  I  think  it  best  to  act  as  though 
we  had  no  Expectation  of  being  afsisted  Either  with  men 
or  provitions.  Your  Councell  not  only  necefsary,  but 
which  you  know  I  prize,  is  what  I  want 

If  we  ware  Tolerably  formadable  at  any  one  post  that 
we  could  subsist  at,  it  might  have  a  great  and  good  Effect. 

As  I  Hinted,  to  lay  afside  all  Expection  of  a  Reinforce- 
ment, I  see  but  the  one  probable  method  of  maintang 
our  Authority  in  the  Illinois,  which  is  this,  by  Amediately 
Evacuating  our  present  posts,  and  let  our  whole  force 


Ji^itmUiittk 


,•'»•»*• 


fmmm 


MM 


JOHN-TODD   PAPERS. 


197 


i^ffects  of 
ing  apre- 
ig  planed 
its,  which 
lequences 
unities  of 
hich  you 
-enow  the 
It  Efiferts 
St  among 
,  which  is 
2  severity 
iie  Towns 
lext  Har- 
I  in  a  few 
oined  by 
[lore  than 
r  present 
post  we 
promifs- 
aps  soon 
deceiving 
ny  disap- 
dvantage 
iuctive  of 
IS  though 
with  men 
>ary,    but 

post  that 
M  Effect, 
einforce- 
maintang 
nediately 
ole  force 


Center  at  or  near  the  Mouth  of  Ohio,  which  will  be  too 
Contemnable  to  answer  the  good  effect  proposed,  without 
we  fall  upon  some  method  to  draw  of  a  Considerable 
Reinforcement  from  Kentuck  of  Militia.  Families  would 
be  of  the  greatest  service,  as  they  are  always  followed  by 
two  or  three  times  their  numbers  of  young  men,  they 
would  with  their  store  of  provitions  be  able  to  Victual 
great  part  of  our  Troops  in  proportion  to  their  number, 
which  if  only  one  Hundred,  by  the  Ensuing  fall  would 
be  able  to  Victual  a  Ridgment,  besides  Establishing  a 
post  that  his  Excellency  is  very  Anctious  for  (the  Reason 
I  imagine  we  are  boat  Acqd  with)  and  the  Interests  of 
all  the  Western  Countrey  call  for.  One  Hundrd  Families, 
their  followers,  the  Troops  we  have  already  Ingaged, 
those  whose  time  of  service  is  or  shortly  will  Expire, 
that  \.ould  Remain  at  the  place,  when  Join'd,  would  be 
considerable,  the  Report  of  which  by  the  time  it  Reach 
our  Enemies  would  be  augmented  perhaps  to  Trible  our 
numbers,  as  such  Intelligence  is  always  agravated  by  the 
Indians,  and  I  don't  doubt  but  that  it  wonld  put  a  stop 
for  some  time  to  their  proceedings,  as  I  know  it  would 
greatly  Confuse  the  Indians  they  are  like  to  win  from  us, 
as  our  temporary  force,  with  the  French  Militia,  probably 
counting  the  Spaniards,  would  be  too  Considerable  for 
them  to  temper  with,  our  only  chance  at  present  to  save 
that  Countrey  is  by  Incouraging  the  Families,  but  I  am 
sensible  nothing  but  land  will  do  it.  I  should  be  exceed- 
ing Cautious  in  doing  any  thing  that  would  displease 
government,  but  their  present  Interest,  in  many  Respects 
obvious  to  us  boath,  call  so  loud  for  it,  that  I  think  Sir, 
that  you  might  even  Venture  to  give  a  Deed  for  Forty  or 
Fifty  Thousand  Acres  of  Land  at  said  place,  at  the  price 
that  government  may  demand  for  it.  it  Interfears  with 
no  Claim  of  our  friendly  Indians,  the  greatest  Barriour  to 
the  Inhabitants  of  the  Illinois  against  the  Southern  Ind- 


1      ■     ,  ,  I 

I     ■   il 


198 


EARLY   ILLINOIS. 


i 


ians,  Security  of  the  Genl:  Commerce  and  perhaps  the 
saving  of  the  Countrey  to  the  State,  and  probably  in  a 
few  months  enable  us  to  act  again  on  the  offensive. 

I  should  be  against  suffering  Families  to  settle  promisly 
in  any  part  of  the  Illinois  at  present,  but  the  Establish- 
ment of  the  said  post  is  so  necefsary,  and  as  it  Cannot 
be  Compleeat  without  the  Families,  I  think  it  your  Duty 
to  give  the  aforesaid  Incouragement  and  such  Instructions 
as  would  confine  the  people  for  some  time  to  a  Fort,  be- 
fore you  could  consult  Government  it  might  be  too  late. 
Sustenance  for  some  time  will  be  procured  with  difficulty, 
but  I  cannot  think  of  the  consequences  of  losing  poff- 
effion  of  the  Countrey  without  a  more  determined  Reso- 
lution to  Risque  every  point  Rather  than  suffer  it  (for 
they  the  English,  cannot  execute  any  matter  of  very  great 
importance  among  the  Savages  without  it.  I  know  your 
concern  to  be  Eaqual  to  mine,  if  you  Concur  with  me 
in  sentiment,  let  me  know  Amediately,  or  such  Amend- 
ment as  you  might  think  more  advantageous. 

I  am  Sir,  with  Real  Esteem,  Your  very  Humble  Servt. 


Lieut.  Col.  J.  M.  P.  LeGras  to  Govenor  of  Virginia. 

Translation  from  the  original  in  the  State  Capitol  at  Richmond,  Va. 

Williamsburg,  May  22nd,  1780. 
Sir: — The  integrity  with  which  your  honorable  assem- 
bly dispenses  justice  to  the  faithful  subjects  of  the  States 
emboldens  me  to  represent  to  you  the  wrong  impression 
you  will  receive  from  the  papers  with  which  Mr.  Simon 
Nathan  is  charged  in  case  your  goodness  orders  payment. 
The  inhabitants  of  St.Vincennes  &  the  country  of  the 
Illinois  ignorant  of  the  act  of  Congress  have  sold  their 
harvests  to  the  army  of  Col.  Roger  Clark  and  have  re- 


**».——--- 


JOHN-TODD   PAPERS. 


199 


ceived  in  payment  piastres  of  the  Continent,  upon  the 
footing  and  for  the  value  of  the  Spanish  piastres.  Persons 
in  authority  (by  your  orders)  have  circulated  them  as  such 
and  have  assured  us  authentically  that  there  would  be 
nothing  lost.  They  have  even  passed  counterfeits.  In 
the  position  of  magistrate  of  this  district,  my  duty  and 
benevolence  prompt  me  to  beg  you  to  take  pity  upon  a 
people  who  by  this  loss  find  themselves  reduced  to  the 
most  urgent  necessities.  In  addition  to  this  there  has 
been  published  at  St.  Vincennes  an  order  by  command  of 
Col.  Jean  Todd  to  oblige  the  residents  to  receive  this 
money  as  Spanish  piastres  and  many  have  been  impris- 
oned for  having  refused.  Some  time  later  the  before 
mentioned  Col.  John  Todd  required  me,  as  it  appears 
from  his  letter,  to  stop  the  circulation  in  view  of  the 
quantity  of  counterfeit  orders  that  many  are  circulating 
which  I  have  done,  to  avoid  confusion  without  lessening 
(or  preventing)  the  value  of  the  good.  Earnestly  hoping 
that  the  States  will  pay  this  money  according  to  the 
denomination.  I  have  the  honor  of  being  very  respect- 
fully. Sir,  Your  very  humble  and  very  obedient  servant, 

J.  M.  P.  Legras,  Lt.  Col. 


Thos:  Jefferson  to  the  Hon:  the  Speaker  of  the 
House  of  Delegates— 

From  "Calendar  of  Virginia  State  Papers,"  Vol.  I,  360. 

In  Council,  June  14th,  1780. 
Sir: — In  a  Letter  which  I  had  the  Honor  of  addrefs- 
ing  you  on  the  meeting  of  the  present  Genera!  Afsembly, 
I  informed  you  of  the  necefsities  which  had  led  the 
Executive  to  withdraw  our  Western  troops  to  the  Ohio — 
Since  the  date  of  this  letter,  I  have  received  the  inclosed 
of  the  Second  instant  from  Coll:  Todd,  communicating 
the  measures  he  had  adopted  in  conjunction  with  Colo; 


200 


EARLY   ILLINOIS. 


!!l 


s-      I 


(f 


Clarke  to  procure  such  a  Settlement  contiguous  to  the 
Post  which  shall  be  taken  as  may  not  only  strengthen  the 
garrison  occasionally,  but  be  able  to  raise  provisions  for 
them,  as  the  confirmation  of  these  measures  is  beyond 
the  powers  of  the  Executive,  it  is  my  duty  to  refer  them 
to  the  General  Afsembly.  it  may  be  proper  to  observe 
that  the  grant  of  Lands  to  Colo.  Todd  was  made  on  a 
supposition  that  the  post  would  be  taken  on  the  North 
side  of  the  Ohio,  whereas  I  think  it  more  probable  it  will 
be  on  the  north  side  in  the  Lands  lying  between  the 
Tanessee,  Ohio,  Mifisiffippi  and  Carolina  boundary.  These 
lands  belong  to  the  Chickasaw  Indians,  who  from  intelli- 
gence which  we  think  may  be  relied  on,  have  entered  into 
a  war  with  us. 

The  expenditures  of  the  Illinois  have  been  deemed 
from  some  exprefsions  in  the  act  establishing  that 
county  not  subject  to  the  examination  of  the  board  of 
Auditors  as  the  Auditing  these  accounts  is  very  foreign 
to  the  ordinary  office  of  the  Council  of  State,  would 
employ  much  of  that  time  and  attention  which  at  present 
is  called  to  objects  of  more  general  importance,  and  as 
their  powers  would  not  enable  them  to  take  into  consid- 
eration the  justice  and  expediency  of  indemnifying  Col. 
Todd  for  his  lofses  and  services,  as  desired  in  the  enclosed 
Letter  from  Him,  of  the  thirteenth  instant,  they  beg 
leave  to  submit  the  whole  to  the  consideration  of  the 
General  Assembly — I  have  the  honor  to  be  with  great 
respect  &  esteem,  Sir,  Your  most  obedient,  &  most  hum- 
ble servant. 


John  Todd,  Indian  Agent,  to  Gov.  Jefferson : 

From  "Calendar  of  Virginia  State  Papers,"  Vol.  I,  page  367. 

August  1st,  1780,  Fort  Jefferson. 
Sir: — I  think  it  my  indispensable  duty  to  lay  before 
you  a  true  state  of  our  situation  in  this  Country  since  my 


JOHN-TODD   PAPERS. 


20  F 


arrival,  which  probably  may  throw  some  lights  on  the 
various  reports  which  may  reach  you  through  channels 
not  so  well  acquainted  with  its  real  wants  as  I  am. 

On  my  arrival  at  the  Falls  of  the  Ohio,  Col.  John  Todd 
gave  me  instructions  to  proceed  to  Kaskaskies,  in  order  to 
take  charge  of  the  goods  when  arrived,  which  were  pur- 
chased by  M.  Lindsay  for  this  department,  with  farther 
orders  to  divide  them  into  two  parcels,  one  of  which  for 
the  troops,  and  the  other  to  be  disposed  of  to  our  friendly 
indian  allies:  considering  it  better  to  sell  them  on  reason- 
able [terms]  than  dispose  of  them  in  gifts;  Horses  and 
ammunition  being  articles  much  wanted  for  the  Troops,  I 
contracted  for  and  received  a  quantity  of  lead  and  some 
horses  before  the  arrival  of  the  goods,  and  having  discre- 
tionary powers,  was  constrained  to  accept  of  orders  drawn 
on  me  for  provisions  which  could  not  otherwise  be  obtained. 
Since  the  goods  came  into  my  hands,  the  troops  and  In- 
habitants at  this  place  not  having  received  the  expected 
supplies  from  Government,  and  being  well  assured  that 
without  some  timely  relief  the  post  and  settlement  must 
be  evacuated,  I  was  also  constrained  at  divers  times  to 
issue  quantities  of  the  goods  intended  to  be  disposed  of 
to  our  Indian  Allies,  in  order  to  furnish  them  with  the 
means  of  subsistence. 

The  few  troops  that  are  now  here  are  too  inconsiderable 
to  guard  themselves:  nor  are  the  inhabitants  much  better, 
notwithstanding  they  remain  in  great  spirits  in  expectation 
of  relief  from  government,  and  have  with  great  bravery 
defeated  a  very  large  party  of  Savages  who  made  a  regular 
attack  on  the  village,  at  daybreak  on  the  morning  of  the 
17th  ult. 

Col.  Clark  has  divided  his  few  men  in  the  best  manner 
possible  so  as  to  preserve  the  Country,  the  apprehension 
of  a  large  body  of  the  enemy  in  motion  from  detroit  tow- 
ards the  falls  of  Ohio,  has  called  him  there  with  what  men 


202 


EARLY   ILLINOIS. 


Im) 


!    H 


he  could  well  spare  from  this  Country,  before  he  had  well 
breathed  after  the  fatigues  of  an  expedition  up  the  Missis- 
sippi— and  Col.  Crockett  not  arriving  with  either  men  or 
provisions,  as  was  expected,  has  really  involved  both  the 
troops  and  settlers  in  much  distress,  and  greatly  damped 
the  spirits  of  industry  in  the  latter,  which  till  lately  was 
so  conspicuous.     I  see  no  other  alternative,  from  the  pres- 
ent appearance  of  our  affairs,  but  that  the  few  goods  I 
have  left,  after  supplying  the  troops,  must  all  go  for  the 
purchase  of  provisions  to  keep  this  settlement  from  break- 
ing up:  and  how  I  shall  ever  support  my  credit,  or  acquit 
myself  of  the  obligations  I  have  bound  myself  under,  to 
those  of  whom  I  have  made  purchases  for  the  troops  be- 
fore the  arrival  of  the  Goods,  I  know  not.     Our  Credit  is 
become  so  weak  among  the  French  inhabitants,  our  own, 
and  the  Spaniards  upon  the  opposite  side  of  the  Missis- 
sippi, that  one  dollar's  worth  of  provision  or  other  supplies 
cannot  be  had  from  them  without  prompt  payment,  were 
it  to  save  the  whole  Country;  by  which  you  will  perceive 
that  without  a  constant  and  full  supply  of  goods  in  this 
quarter  to  answer  the  exigencies  of  Government,  nothing 
can  ever  be  well  affected  but  in  a  very  contracted  manner. 
I  observe  that  the  distance  the  settlers,  who  come  in 
general  to  this  Country,  have  to  travel,  impoverishes  them 
in  a  great  degree.     They  come  at  the  expense  of  their  all, 
in  full  hopes  and  expectations  of  being  assisted  by  Govern- 
ment.    Were  these  hopes  cherished  and  supplies  of  neces- 
saries of  all  kinds  furnished  them  in  the  manner  of  the 
neighboring  Spaniards,  to  be  paid   in   produce,   such  as 
might  answer  for  the  troops  or  for  exportation,  many  good 
consequences   would   be   attendant,     emigrants,   on   such 
encouragement,  would  flock  to  us  in  numbers,  instead  of 
submitting  to  the  Spanish  Yoke;  the  principal  part  of  their 
new  settlements  would  join  us;  all  those  from  the  Natchez 
in  particular  only  wait  the  encouraging  invitation  to  re- 


JOHN-TODD   PAPERS. 


203 


move  themselves  and  their  property  to  our  settlement, 
preferring  the  mildness  of  our  laws  to  the  rigours  of  the 
Spanish,  which  they  detest,  notwithstanding  their  great 
offers.  Such  encouragement  would  be  a  spur  to  industry 
which  would  never  die.  The  troops  would,  in  a  little  time, 
be  solely  furnished  in  provisions  by  our  settlers,  and  in 
process  of  time,  a  valuable  trade  might  be  opened  with 
the  overplus. 

These  hints  I  beg  leave  to  offer  to  your  own  better 
judgement,  conscious  that  if  they  are  worthy  of  notice  you 
will  direct  their  proper  uses. 

I  have  got  a  party  of  the  friendly  savages  of  the  Kas- 
kaskie  tribe  to  hunt  and  scout  for  us;  they  are  of  singular 
service,  as  the  provisions  in  store  are  totally  exhausted, 
and  indeed  their  hunting,  tho'  it  may  afford  an  useful,  yet 
it  is  a  very  precarious  supply. 

As  to  the  general  disposition  of  these  Indians  in  alliance 
with  us,  it  appears  at  present  to  be  very  peaceable ;  but  as 
poverty  is  always  subject  to  temptation,  I  fear  their  good 
intentions  may  be  seduced  by  those  who  have  it  more  in 
their  power  to  supply  their  wants,  being  well  convinced  of 
the  necessity  of  having  proper  supplies  for  them,  which 
will  not  only  keep  thom  in  our  interest,  but  even  afford  us 
a  very  beneficial  traffic. 

The  bearer  of  this  travels  to  the  Falls  of  Ohio,  thro'  the 
wood!  I  am  uncertain  what  the  fate  of  my  letter  will  be, 
as  I  know  he  has  a  dangerous  and  tedious  journey  before 
him;  however,  by  the  next  opportunity  I  shall  do  myself 
the  honor  of  writing  to  your  Excellency  a  few  more  of  my 
observations,  begging  leave  once  more  to  remark  the  neces- 
sity of  keeping  at  all  times  full  supplies  of  goods  in  this 
remote  quarter,  in  order  to  forward  the  service  of  Govern- 
ment, encourage  the  settlement  of  the  frontiers,  supply  our 
troops  with  necessaries,  provisions,  &c.,  and  finally  open  a 
very  profitable  and  extensive  trade  in  little  time. 

14-33-4 


204 


EARLY   ILLINOIS. 


Forgive  the  freedom  of  my  remarks,  which  you  will 
please  to  do  me  the  honor  to  correct. 

I  have  the  honor  to  be  your  Excellency's 

most  obedient  and  most  humble  servant,  &c.,  &c. 


^- 


Col.  John  Todd,  Jnr.,  to  Gov.  Jefferson: 

From  "Calendar  of  Virginia  State  Tapers,"  Vol.  I,  page  393. 

Nov.  30th,  1780,  Lexington,  Ky. 

May  it  please  your  Excellency: — We  have  been  for  some 
time  past  &  are  still  dreading  an  Invasion  from  the  neigh- 
boring Northern  Indians.  Intelligence  by  the  way  of  St. 
Vincent  informs  us  that  late  in  Oct.  a  great  number  of 
Indians  &  English  were  at  the  late-destroyed  Shawnese 
Towns  waiting  at  the  rise  of  the  water  to  make  a  Descent 
either  against  the  Falls  or  this  place.  I  have  ordered  upon 
Duty  part  of  the  militia  of  this  County  (Fayette)  at  three 
of  the  most  exposed  forts,  and  are  purchasing  up  a  quan- 
tity of  Corn.  The  people  seem  fond  at  present  to  sell  to 
the  Country,  &  Corn  will  be  almost  the  only  article  which 
Government  may  expect  from  this  Quarter.  I  expect  to 
procure  between  one  &  two  Thousand  Bushels  by  giving 
Certificates  to  be  settled  by  the  Auditors,  or  agreed  upon 
by  the  Commissary,  for  40  or  50  £  pr.  Barrell,  or  2/6  hard 
money.  I  hope  I  have  not  acted  amiss  in  this  Respect, 
altho'  I  have  no  Instructions.  As  the  Assembly  at  last 
session  recommended  the  plan,  laid  by  the  several  County 
Lieutenants  &  there  is  a  Certainty  of  a  vigorous  attack 
next  Spring,  I  conclude  that  a  delay  for  Orders  is  unnec- 
essary. The  Indians  are  annoying  us  every  Week  in 
small  parties.  Two  small  detachments  of  militia  are  now 
in  pursuit  of  some  who  stole  Horses  two  nights  ago  from 
McConnells'  Station. 

A  Cargoe  of  Goods,  I  have  heard  is  arrived  at  Fort 


JOHN-TODD   PAPERS. 


205 


Jefferson,  for  the  use  of  the  State,  said  to  be  consigned 
by  Mr.  Pollock  to  myself  as  Co  Lieutenant  of  Illinois.  I 
propose  writing  to  Capt.  Dodge  to  store  them  up  until 
further  orders  from  [your]  Excellency  as  soon  as  I  shall 
liave  an  opportunity  &  the  Report  shall  be  authenticated. 

I  hope  to  be  excused  in  expressing  my  Desires  that 
Your  Excellency  may  have  in  contemplation  an  Early 
Expedition  next  Spring  against  our  Savage  neighbors. 
I  will  venture  to  assure  you,  that  any  Orders  which  may 
tend  to  that  purpose  will  be  executed  with  the  greatest 
alacrity  by  Officers  &  Men.  Capt:  Quirk,  I  hear  is  on 
the  the  way  with  30  or  40  men  &  I  can  hear  nothing  from 
Col:  Crockett. 

I  have  the  Honor  to  be  with  the  greatest  Respect  Your 
Excellencys'  most  obedt  &  humble  Servant,  &c.,  &c. 


Col.  John  Todd,  Jr.  to  Gov.  Jefferson : 

From  "Calendar  of  Virginia  State  Papers,"  Vol.  I,  page  460. 

January  24th,  1781,  Lexington,  Kv. 

May  it  please  your  Excellency:  —  I  reed,  the  enclosed 
letters  a  few  days  ago;  as  they  contain  some  matters  of 
Consequence,  I  transmit  them  just  as  I  receive  thcni. 
They  are  written  with  a  freedom  which  spare  no  charac- 
ter, tS:  may  with  additional  Letters  which  I  expect  you 
have  rec'd,  threw  light  upon  our  situation  in  Illinois. 
Winston  is  Commandt.  at  Kaskaskia.  McCarty  a  Captain 
in  the  Illinois  Regt,  who  has  long  since  rendered  himself 
disagreeable  by  endeavoring  to  enforce  Military  Law  upon 
the  Civil  Department  at  Kohos.  The  peltry  mentioned 
by  Winston  as  purloined  or  embezzled  by  Montgomery, 
was  committed  to  their  joint  care  by  me  in  Nov:  1779,  ^ 
from  the  Circumstance  of  Col:  Montgomery's  taking  up 
with  an  infamous  Girl,  leaving  his  wife  &  flying  down 


206 


EARLY   ILLINOIS. 


^ 


I 


the  River,  I  am  inclined  to  believe  the  worst  that  can  be 
said  of  him,  being  so  far  out  of  the  Road  of  Business  I 
cannot  do  the  State  that  Justice  I  wish  by  sending  down 
his  case  immediately  to  the  Spanish  Commandants  in  the 
Mississippi. 

A  late  Letter  informed  your  Excellency  of  my  Design 
of  laying  some  Beef  &  Corn  in  store  for  the  Expedition 
planned  last  year.  I  expect  to  get  30  or  40  thousand 
Weight  of  Beef  &  two  or  three  thousand  Bushels  of  Corn 
on  Better  Terms  then  will  be  got  anywhere  in  this  Country. 

A  Prisoner,  Martin  Wistill  taken  spring  was  a  year,  at 
Wheeling  by  the  Shawanese,  tow  weeks  ago  left  his  party 
being  7  Shawanese,  about  half  a  mile  from  Bryants  Fort 
as  they  were  stealing  Horses.  He  says  the  Shawanese 
have  built  4  Block  Houses  at  Logan's  Town  12  miles 
beyond  the  Pickaway:  that  they  are  much  distressed  for 
want  of  provisions  and  are  keen  for  making  an  attack 
next  Spring,  upon  the  Kentucky  settlements — that  Black- 
fish  &  Logan  are  dead,  &c.  I  am  uneasy  lest  Crockett 
should  not  arrive  timeously  at  Licking,  &  many  of  our 
settlers  seem  desirous  to  fly  immiediately  to  the  South 
side  of  Kentucky  lest  he  should  not.         *         *         * 

I  have  the  Honor  to  be  with  Greatest  Respect  Your 
Excellency's  Most  Obedient  &  humb  servt. 


1 1! 


Rich'd  McCarty  "To  John  Todd,  Esq." 

From  "Calendar  of  Virginia  State  Papers,"  Vol.  I,  page  379. 
Enclosure  in  John  Todd's  letter,  Jan.  24,  1 78 1,  to  Gov.  Jefferson. 

October  14th,  1780,  Cascaskia. 

Sir: — When  shall  I  begin  to  appolagize  for  the  Differ- 
ent light  and  Oppinion,  I  saw  and  had  of  You  when  hear 
last  Year,  and  now,  the  Spirit  of  a  free  subject  that  you 
inculcated  thro  your  better  knowledge  of  things  was  hid  | 


"■T"  v'  T*t'  "■',?n!J '■  T ' *ff .fSfclH iV 


JOHN-TODD   PAPKRS. 


207 


to  nie.  In  short,  Honour  requires  of  me  to  render  You 
the  Justice  you  desarve,  and  at  the  same  time  to  inform 
you  the  reason  of  my  altering  my  notions  of  things.  I 
then  thought  the  Troops  hear  would  be  duly  supported 
by  the  State,  and  the  Legal  expense  for  them  paid  to  the 
people  Justly.  I  had  thought  the  Duty  of  an  Officer  who 
had  any  Command  was  to  see  Justice  done  his  Soldiers, 
and  that  they  had  their  Rights  without  wronging  his 
Country.  I  then  thought  it  was  also  his  Duty  to  foresee 
and  use  all  manner  of  economie  in  Laying  up  Provisions 
for  these  Soldiers,  to  carry  on  any  Opperation  that  his 
supperiours  should  judge  expedient  to  order  him  on, 
without  any  regard  to  private  interests  whatever,  but  for 
the  Good  of  the  State  he  served.  I  then  never  Immagined 
that  an  Agent  would  be  sent  hear  to  Trade  in  connection 
with  a  Private  Person  to  Purchase  the  Certificates  from 
the  people  at  such  rates  which  must  appear  scandulous 
cV:  Dishonorable  to  the  State. 

To  the  contrary  of  all  which  I  am  now  convinced  by 
occular  Demonstration:  in  short  we  are  become  the  Hated 
Beasts  of  a  whole  people  by  Pressing  horses,  Boats  \:c  »tc, 
Killing  cattle,  &c  &c,  for  which  no  valuable  consideration 
is  given:  even  many  not  a  certificate,  which  is  hear  looked 
on  as  next  to  nothing.  • 

I  have  sent  Col:  Clarke,  in  an  Extract  from  my  Journal, 
the  proceedings  as  far  as  I  know,  of  one  Col:  De  la 
Balme,*  and  his  raising  a  Party  to  go  against  Detriot,  Not 
being  a  Commander  I  cannot  say  whether  he  has  proper 
authority  so  to  do  or  not. 

*  Augustin  Moltin  de  la  Balme,  a  Frencli  cavalry  officer  of  the  rank  of 
lidutenant-colonel,  offered  his  services  to  the  colonies  at  the  outbreak  of  the 
Revolution,  and  came  to  this  country  in  1776,  bearing  the  highest  testimonials 
and  recommendations  from  Silas  Deane  and  Benjamin  Franklin,  at  Paris. 
He  was  appointed  inspector-general  of  cavalry  in  the  Continental  army  with 
the  rank  of  colonel.  In  1780,  he  came  to  the  West  to  lead  an  expedition 
against  Detroit,  it  being  thought  that  his  influence  with  the  French  in  the 


208 


EARLY   ILLINOIS. 


Th''  people  have  sent  by  him  memorials  to  Congress  or 
the  French  envoy  at  Philadelphia  setting  forth  all  the 
evils  we  have  done.  I  think  Government  should  be  in- 
formed of  this,  as  the  people  are  now  entirely  allinated 
Agst  us:  he  has  told  Indians,  french  Troops  will  be  hear 
in  the  Spring.  I  have  no  right  to  find  fault,  or  Blame 
my  Supperiours,  yet  I  have  a  right  to  see  plain,  and  wish 
for  the  Credit  of  the  State,  that  Government  had  eyes  to 
see  hear  as  Plaine  as  I  do. 

I  am  Sir,  with  Esteem  &  consideration  Your  most  obt 
&  hble  servt  &c  &c. 


W 


1 


Rich'd  Winston  to  Col.  John  Todd: 

From  "Calendar  of  Virginia  State  Papers,"  Vol.  I,  page  380. 

Kaskaskias,  October  24th,  1780. 

Bear  Sir: — Yours  by  Mr.  Lindsay  was  the  last  I  had 
the  Honour  of  receiving,  since  which  no  favourable  oper- 
tunity  has  offered  wherewith  you  could  Expect  to  hear 
from  me,  untill  Mr.  William  Gelaspies'  departure,  by  whom 
I  wrote  you  as  fully  as  I  could  concerning  this  Country, 
and  in  Particular  all  that  regarded  your  Department:  all 
which  I  must  think  you  have  foreseen  before  you  went  off, 
the  disagreeableness  of  which  every  thinking  man  would 
avoid,  and  of  which  I  now  send  you  a  Duplicate,  Together 
with  some  additions  since  that  time. 

That  State  of  Illinois  is  far  from  bein^  in  o  easy  a  Way 
as  might  have  been  expected  from  th  larations  •  f  the 

Illinois  would  enable  him  to  readily  enlist  a  suflK  nt  force  He  obtained 
recruits  at  Cahokia,  Kaskaskia,  and  Vincennes,  to  the  nu'  iber  of  one  hun- 
dred or  more,  and  had  also  a  band  of  Indian  warriors.  With  these  he 
attacked  and  destroyed  the  post  of  Kekionga,  on  the  Maumee  River;  but 
while  encamped  on  the  river  Aboite,  his  party  was  surprised  at  night  by  the 
Miamis  and  utterly  routed.  La  Balme  was  slain,  and  his  papers,  which  were 
quite  voluminous,  were  carried  by  the  Indians  to  the  British  commander  at 
Detroit,  and  are  now  among  the  Haldimand  papers  in  the  British  Museum. 

E.  G.  M. 
i 


..'iil?'*^* 


JOHN-TODD    PAPERS. 


20 


)ngress  or 
h  all  the 
lid  be  in- 

allinated 
II  be  hear 
or  Blame 

and  wish 
id  eyes  to 

most  obt 


resSo. 

:h,  1780. 

last  I  had 
I  able  oper- 
:t  to  hear 
by  whom 
Country, 
ment:  all 
went  off, 
lan  would 
Together 

isy  a  Way 
the 


Ll 


ons 


He  obtained 
of  one  hun- 
ith  these  lie 
e  River;  but 
night  by  the 
,  which  were 
ommander  at 
Museum. 

E.  G.  M. 


Genl:  Assembly,  or  had  their  Officers  a  Little  occonomy— 
Concerning  which  the  majistrates  did  remonstrate,  which 
Remonstrance  was  Treated  as  Insolence  and  Imperti- 
nence, for  having  dared  to  remonstrate  against  their 
ruinous  proceedings  I  wish  all  may  be  looked  into:  in  the 
hopes  of  which,  all  is  on  Record. 

As  to  the  Peltries  which  you  left  with  Colonel  Mont- 
gomery and  me,  they  were  taken  out  of  my  hands,  and  I 
am  left  Behind  hand  for  fifteen  Packs — how  I  will  or  may 
be  Indemnified  I  know  not — Colonel  Montgomery  says 
that  his  estate  is  Sufficient  to  pay  a  great  deal  more  I 
wish  it  may  be  so)  I  was  by  force  obliged  to  give  up,  as  I 
could  not  content  with  Bayonetts  for  a  thing  that  is  not 
my  own. 

I  refer  you  to  Mr.  Lindsay,  concerning  the  Goods  pur- 
chased by  him  at  New  Orleans,  they  are  now  in  the 
Pessession  of  him .  and  the  Illustrious  Captain  Dodge.  I 
wish  Government  may  gett  a  satisfactory  acct.  of  them, 
yet  I  doubt  it — this  part  of  the  world  is  too  far  from 
Government  to  call  people  to  acct  before  it  is  too  late — 
there  is  great  Strides  Taken  for  to  make  money  at  any 
rate — as  to  our  Civil  Department  'tis  but  in  an  Indiferent 
way  ever  since  the  Military  has  refused  their  prison,  for 
which  we  offered  to  pay  very  handsomely  and  since  which 
They  Stretch  greatly  to  bring  the  Country  under  the 
Military  rod  and  throw  of  the  Civil  Authority.  So  fond  they 
are  to  be  medling  with  what  is  not  within  their  Power. 
There  is  strange  things  carried  on  in  this  place — Colonel 
Montgomery  is  gone  from  here,  with  Brooks  and  Familt 
(thank  God) — Capt:  Brashears  if  Married  to  Brookes' 
Daughter,  consequently  has  quit  the  service  and  gone  with 
the  rest:  Col:  Montgomery,  on  the  day  before  his  Depart- 
ure did  Endeavor  to  settle  the  Peltrie  fund  with  —  In 
which  he  failed,  and  Besides  the  Drafts  by  him  drawn  on 
me,  and  by  me  Accepted  to  the  amount  of  Fifteen  packs, 


u 


210 


EARLY   ILLINOIS. 


I 


he  has  fallen  short  Eleven  Packs,  and  what  the  rest  has 
been  Expended  in,  is  to  be  looked  into  by  Higher  Powers 
— there  is  r->  accts — receipts  only  for  so  many  Packs, 
without  saying  for  why  or  for  what — Such  is  the  proceed- 
ings of  Col:  Montgomery,  who  left  this  19th  inst.  and 
Carried  with  him  Large  Quantities  of  Provisions,  Boats 
deeply  loaden,  besides  Five  Black  Slaves,  for  all  which 
the  Publick  fund  has  sufifered.  Since  the  arrival  of  this 
Captain  Bentley,  there  has  been  nothing  Butt  discord  and 
disunion  in  the  place — he  has  left  no  stone  unturned  to 
Extinguish  the  Laws  of  the  State,  and  to  revive  the 
Heathen  Law,  being  well  accustomed  to  Bribes  and  Enter- 
tainments. Government  ought  to  regulate  the  Trade  as 
there  are  many  abuses  Committed  under  Military  sanction 
—  there  Passed  this  way  a  Frenchman,  called  himself 
Colonell  de  la  Balme,*  he  says,  in  the  American  Service — 
I  look  upon  him  to  be  a  Mai  Content,  «iust  disgusted  at 
the  Virginians,  yet  I  must  say  he  done  some  good — he 
pacified  the  Indians,  he  was  received  by  the  Inhabitants 
Just  as  the  Hebrews  would  receive  the  Masiah — was  con- 
ducted from  the  Post  here,  by  a  large  Detacht  of  the  In- 
habitants as  well  as  different  Tribes  of  Indians — he  went 
from  here  against  Detroit  Being  well  assured  that  the 
Indians  were  on  his  Side — Gott  at  this  Plase  and  the 
Kahos  about  fifty  Volunteers — and  are  to  randezvous  at 
Ouia.  Capt:  Duplasi  from  here,  went  along  with  him  to 
Lay  before  the  French  Embasador  all  the  Greivance  this 
Country  labours  i  nder  by  the  Virginians,  which  is  to  be 
strongly  backed  by  Monsieur  de  la  Balme — tis  the  general 
Opinion,  that  he  will  take  Baubin  the  Great  Partizan  at 
Miamis,  and  from  thence  to  Fort  Pitt — this  is  all  that  I 
can  say,  only  tb^t  he  passed  about  one  Month  here,  with- 
out seeing  Col:  Montgomery,  nor  did  Montgomery  see 
him. 

*  See  note  on  page  337. 


^  I 


I  I'll,  ifmniw » 


"ssasB 


JOHN-TODD   PAPERS, 


211 


It  Being  so  long  a  time  Since  we  had  any  news  from 
you,  we  Conclude  therefrom  that  (lovernment  has  given 
us  up  to  do  for  Ourselves  the  Best  we  can,  until  such  time 
as  it  pleases  Some  other  State  or  Power  to  take  us  under 
their  Protection — a  few  lines  from  you  would  give  some 
of  us  great  satisfaction,  yett  the  Generality  of  the  People 
are  of  Opinion  that  this  Country  will  be  given  up  to 
France — Be  that  as  it  will,  a  Line  from  you,  will  add  much 
to  the  happiness  of, 

Dear  Sir,  Your  Most  Humble  and  Obedt  Servant  kc  kc. 


Col.  John  Todd,  Jr.,  to  Gov.  Jefferson : 

From  "Calendar  of  Virginia  State  Papers,"  Vol.  I,  page  481. 

Lexington,  Ky.,  February  ist,  1781. 

May  it  please  your  Excellency: — Accounts  from  all  Quar- 
ters lead  us  to  expect  vigorous  measures  from  our  Enemies 
the  next  Campaign.  I  have  just  received  Duplicates  of 
Letters  sent  from  our  Officers  of  Illinois  to  others  at 
Louisville,  which  informs  that  the  Spanish  k  American 
Ilinois  Settlements  are  preparing  defensively  for  heavy 
attacks.     The  original  Letters  I  hear  are  sent. 

On  conferring  with  Col:  Bowman's  k  Trigg,  We  con- 
cluded it  expedient  to  send  150  men  to  Garrison  the  Mouth 
of  Licking,  until  Crockett  shall  arrive,  which  we  shall 
expect  weekly.  We  apprehended  the  expcnce  wd  be 
less  to  government  that  to  wait  until  the  Enemy  arrive  at 
our  settlements,  k  better  Conduce  to  the  security  of  the 
people. 

[Sends  recommenditions  for  Certain  Officers  — asks  for 
some  Blank  Commissions,  and  assures  him  no  abuses  shall 
follow.  There  are  vacancies  for  other  officers,  whose  rela- 
tive ranks  are  not  yet  settled.] 


212 


EARLY   ILLINOIS. 


■^ 


,     I 


Col.  John  Todd,  Jr.,  to  Gov.  Jefferson: 

From  "Calender  of  Virginia  State  Papers,"  Vol.  II,  page  44. 

Lexington,  Ky.,  April  15  th,  1781. 

M^.y  it  please  yoitr  Excellency: — Your  letter  of  24  Dec: 
as  also  that  of  the  19th  Jany:  last  inclosing  sundry  papers 
came  safely  to  hand  a  few  days  ago.  By  the  last  Accounts 
I  can  procure  from  Jefferson  and  Lincoln,  the  Militia  of 
the  whole  three  Counties  at  present  amount  to  about  1050 
— Fayette  156 — Lincolon  606 — ^Jefferson  300 — I  have  just 
made  a  Draft  of  78  from  this  county  for  Col:  Clark,  &  if 
the  other  Counties  draft  proportionally  your  demand  will 
be  fully  satisfied. 

I  hear  nothing  as  yet  of  Col:  Clark,  but  I  conceive  I 
have  just  cause  of  expostulating  with  him  on  acunt  of  this 
County,  its  true  state  being  probably  unknown  to  your 
Excellency  when  the  Draft  was  required  to  be  propor- 
tioned to  the  militia — Exposed  at  every  Fort,  &  weak- 
ened by  daily  removals  of  its  Strength  to  the  South  Side 
of  Kentucky,  we  are  scarcely  able  to  keep  our  Forts, 
Should  Colo:  Clark  take  his  Rout  by  the  Shawnese 
Nation,  all  cause  of  complaint  must  cease,  as  the  Enemy 
will  thereby  be  drawn  off  from  our  Forts. 

Being  unable  just  now  to  spare  Labourers  &  Guards  at 
a  distance  from  our  Forts,  for  making  Canoes,  I  have  sent 
Mr.  Lindsay  to  Lincoln  for  Assistance,  which  I  make  no 
doubt  of  procuring.  I  fear  I  shall  meet  with  some  diffi- 
culties in  conveying  the  Stores  at  Lexington  k>  Bryants 
to  the  Canoes,  for  want  of  Horses,  ours  being  nearly  all 
taken  by  the  Indians  &  Col:  Bowman  does  not  prove  so 
friendly  as  I  think  he  ought  to  be  in  giving  me  necessary 
Assistance. 

Our  circumstances  have  received  so  material  a  change 
within  twelve  months  that  a  draft  of  18  Militia  for  the 
Continental  Army  w'd  be  singularly  oppressive  upon  Fay- 


I 


JOHN-TODD   PAPERS. 


213 


€tte  or  Jefiferson.  Happy  sh'd  we  be  «&:  readily  would  we 
spare  them,  if  our  situation  were  but  as  the  Legislature 
expected.  There  is  scare  one  fort  in  the  county  but  once 
a  month  seems  upon  the  eve  of  breaking  for  want  of  men 
to  defend  it.  Such  residents  as  had  most  property  and 
Horses  to  remove  their  effects,  have  retreated  to  Lincoln. 
One  half  of  the  remainder  are  unable  to  Remove.  We 
have  no  tax  Commissioner  in  the  County  k,  almost  noth- 
ing to  tax.  All  which  circumstances  plead  I  hope  in 
Excuse  sufficiently  for  the  militia  at  present.  Whenever 
our  circumstances  will  admit  of  it,  the  people  will,  I'm 
satisfied  enlist  voluntarily  in  the  Continental  Army,  from 
a  genius  they  possess  for  war,  as  well  as  the  greatness  of 
the  Bounty.         *         * 

I  inclose  you  a  letter  from  Mr.  Pollock — I  still  receive 
complaints  from  the  Illinois,  that  department  suffers  I 
fear  thro'  the  Avarice  &;  Prodagality  of  our  Officers :  they 
all  vent  complaints  against  each  other  —  I  believe  our 
French  friends  have  the  justest  grounds  of  dissatisfaction. 

I  have  the  Honor  to  be,  with  the  greatest  Respect  Your 
Excellency's  most  obedient  and  very  humble  Servant. 


'  I 


Col.  John  Todd  Jr.,  to  the  Governor  of  Virginia: 

From  "Calendar  of  Virginia  State  Papers,"  Vol.  II,  page  562. 

Lexington,  Ky.,  October  21st,  1781. 
Maf  it  please  your  Excellency. • — I  expect  you  will,  long 
before  this  reaches  you,  have  an  acct.  of  our  proceedings 
in  this  Country,  by  Letters  from  Genl:  Clarke  sent  by 
Major  Crittenden.  After  so  much  assistance  given  to  our 
Country  by  Government  to  enable  us  to  act  either  offen- 
sively or  defensively:  after  so  much  money  expended  up 
on  the  Western  Frontiers,  I  feel  desirous  and  anxious  to 
remove  any  censures  that  our  little  Country  may  possible 


214 


EARLY   ILLINOIS. 


labour  under  in  the  opinion  of  your  Excellency  »Sz;  the 
world.  I  do  not  pretend  to  know,  to  whom  the  failure  in 
the  intended  Expedition  is  owing,  but  the  officers  &  men 
of  these  counties  have  persevered  in  rendering  all  possible 
assistance. 

By  letters  from  your  Excellency's  predecessor  we  were 
led  to  expect  an  early  expedition.  500  men  with  canoes 
&c  were  required  from  these  Counties  to  be  at  the  Falls 
by  March  last.  The  men  required  were  drafted  &  set 
apart  for  the  Expedition  &  the  canoes  chiefly  made, 
during  the  course  of  the  spring  &  summer  the  Drafts  nec- 
essarily decreased.  At  a  meeting  of  the  Field  Officers  at 
Louisville  summoned  on  Genl:  Clarke's  arrival  the  begin- 
ning of  September,  we  found  the  strength  of  the  three 
Counties  to  amount  to  only  760  men.  We  offered  the 
General  two  thirds  of  them,  if  he  chose  to  go  an  Expedi- 
tion, but  rather  advised  him  to  proceed  in  garrisoning  the 
Ohio  upwards,  agreeably  to  a  recommendation  of  the 
Assembly,  or  at  least  to  attempt  nothing  more  than  a 
small  Expedition  up  the  Miami,  it  was  our  opinion,  if 
but  one  Garrison  sd.  be  built,  it  sh'd  be  at  the  mouth  of 
Kentucky  as  the  most  valuable  post.  If  there  sh'd  be 
afterwards  troops  to  spare,  another  sh'd  be  at  the  mouth 
of  Licking  opposite  the  big  Miami,  at  Lawrence's  Creek 
or  Limestone  Run:  but  we  seemed  unanimous  that  the 
mouth  of  Kentucky,  in  a  war  with  the  Western  &  Lake 
Indians,  was  a  post  of  the  utmost  consequence.  The 
sentiments  of  Genl:  Clarke  were  different  from  ours  in 
this  Respect.  He  imagined  the  Falls  to  be  a  Post  of  the 
first  Importance,  being  as  he  always  expressed  it,  the  Key 
of  the  Country. 

As  I  wish  to  see  military  .service  always  properly  hus- 
banded, I  beg  leave  to  offer  a  few  reasons  to  your  excel- 
lency, to  show  that  keeping  our  principal  post  at  the  Falls 
is  injudiciously  wasting  of  our  strength. 


■.WMri^ltMWjt 


JOHN-TODD   PAPERS. 


215 


&  the 
iailure  in 
3  &  men 
possible 

we  were 
h  canoes 
he  Falls 
&  set 
y  made, 
afts  nec- 
licers  at 
e  begin- 
he  three 
ered  the 
Expedi- 
ning  the 

of  the 
I  than  a 
)inion,  if 
nouth  of 

sh'd  be 
le  mouth 
's  Creek 
that  the 
&  Lake 
e.      The 

ours  in 
at  of  the 
the  Key 

jrly  hus- 
ir  excel- 
;he  Falls 


1st.  The  situation  of  the  mouth  of  Kentucky  is  more 
in  the  road  of  the  enemy  in  their  war  Excursions  to  any 
part  of  this  Country,  than  any  part  of  the  Ohio  below 
that  place,  a  few  Settlements  in  Jefferson  County  only 
excepted. 

2ndly.  The  River  Kentucky  wd.  afford  a  ready  and 
cheap  transportation  of  provisions  which  so  abound  in 
the  upper  Settlements,  whereas  if  the  main  army  staid  at 
the  Falls,  an  out-post  at  the  Mouth  of  Kentucky  wd. 
always  kept  close  in  Garrison,  &  being  in  continual  terror 
could  afford  no  protection  towards  transporting  the  pro- 
visions &  rather  be  a  trap  for  the  exposed  watermen. 

3dly.  The  Mouth  of  Kentucky  must  be  much  health- 
ier than  the  Falls,  being  free  from  the  stagnated  pools 
which  overspread  the  flat  lands  near  the  Falls  &  which 
everyyear  kill  or  incpaacitate  for  service  great  numbers  of 
our  soldiers. 

To  say  that  the  Falls  is  the  Key  to  this  Country,  seems 
to  me  unintelligible.  It  is  a  strong  Rapid,  which  may  in 
an  age  of  commerce,  be  a  considerable  obstruction  to  the 
navigator,  but  as  we  have  no  trade,  we  neither  need,  nor 
have  any  keys  to  Trade.  If  it  be  understood  in  a  Military 
sense,  I  think  it  a  mistaken  appellation,  as  the  Enemy  can 
&  do  pass  with  as  little  molestation  just  above  the  Falls 
&  just  below  the  Falls,  as  they  could  on  any  other  part  of 
the  River. 

On  parting  with  Genl:  Clarke  we  expected  to  furnish 
assistance  in  building  the  Garrison  at  the  Mouth  of  Ken- 
tucky from  the  Militia,  but  expected  it  to  be  built  princi- 
pally by  the  Regulars  &  wholly  garrisoned  by  them, 
since  which  a  Requisition  has  come  to  Colo:  Logan  and 
myself  to  furnish  Tools  and  build  the  Garrison  and  after- 
wards defend  it  by  men  drawn  from  the  Body  of  our  mili- 
tia until  he  sh'd  have  Leisure  to  relieve  them,  which  we 
are  satisfied  wd.  not  happen  in  any  short  time. 


<*;;asr^4»iai»a««!iti«k,  .«^ 


2l6 


EARLY   ILLINOIS. 


'4 


w 


ik- 


on consulting  with  Col:  Logan  we  concluded  to  defer 
building  the  Garrison,  because  we  had  no  intrenching 
Tools,  no  professed  Eugineers,  no  money  &  we  conceived 
it  to  belong  to  men  who  draw  constant  pay  to  garrison  it. 
The  result  of  our  consultation  we  sent  to  the  General^ 
with  a  promise  to  lay  the  matter  before  your  Excellency 
or  the  General  Assembly.  If  the  State  had  no  troops  on 
pay,  we  should  have  no  cause  to  remonstrate,  but  when 
they  have  troops,  and  those  Troops  kept  in  the  more 
interior  &  secure  posts:  when  so  much  has  already  been 
expended:  to  augment  the  Expence  by  putting  the  militia 
on  duty  at  a  place  distant  from  60  to  120  miles  from  home, 
we  conceive  to  be  impolitick  &  contrary  to  the  opinion  of 
your  Excellency,  to  whom  we  submit  the  matter. 

A  Recommendation  for  Justices  will  be  handed  your 
Excellency  by  our  delegates  also  for  several  militia  officers. 
If  it  is  not  inconsistent  with  the  practice,  I  would  wish 
for  a  few  Blank  Commissions  to  be  sent  to  the  Court. 
Owing  to  so  great  a  distance  from  the  Seat  of  Govern- 
ment, officers  loose  generally  half  a  year  in  the  date  of 
their  commissions. 

I  have  the  honor  to  be,  with  <-he  greatest  Respect — 
Your  Excellency's  most  ob't  &  very  h'ble  Serv't. 


('  M 


*Col:  John  Todd  to  Gov:  Jefferson. 

From  "Calendar  of  Virginia  State  Papers,"  Vol.  Ill,  130. 

Lexington,  Fayette  Co.,  Ky.,  April  15th,  1782. 
May  it  please  your    Excellency:  —  The   Inhabitants  of 
Fayette  County  have  been  so  harrassed  this  spring  by  the 

*  Accompanying  this  letter  is  a  well-drawn  plan  of  the  Fort,  and  account 
current  of  cost  of  building — with  description  thereof  as  follows:  "Laid  down 
from  a  Scale  of  20  feet  to  the  Inch — 80  feet  in  the  clear — walls  7  feet  thick 
of  Rammed  Dirt,  inclosed  with  good  Timbers  9  feet  high  only,  from  4  feet 
upwards  5  feet  thick— The  Top  of  the  Wall  is  neatly  picketed  6  feet  High, 
proof  against  Small  Arms— Ditch  8  feet  wide  and  between  4  &  S  feet  deep. 


In 


iirt.«iiiri,rsi«B^. 


ijab 


aiiTnwTOnai 


JOHN-TODD   PAPERS. 


217 


to  defer 
enching 
nceived 
rison  it. 
Greneral^ 
cellency 
oops  on 
Lit  when 
le  more 
ly  been 
e  militia 
Ti  home, 
jinion  of 

ed  your 
I  officers, 
uld  wish 
e  Court. 
Govern- 
:  date  of 

Lespect — 


30. 

1,  1782. 
titants  of 
ig  by  the 

and  account 
"  Laid  down 
7  feet  thick 
from  4  feet 
}  feet  High, 
feet  deep. 


Indians,  that  I  was  for  some  time  apprehensive  that  the 
whole  country  w'd  be  evacuated,  as  Panicks  of  that  Kind 
have  proved  very  catching,  and  the  fate  of  the  neighbor- 
ing garrisons  at  Licking  last  year  was  fresh  in  their 
minds — The  only  plan  I  could  devise  to  prevent  it  & 
sufficiently  secure  the  provisions  laid  up  at  Bryants  &  this 
place,  was  to  build  a  new  Fort  upon  a  very  advantageous 
situation  at  this  place  &  make  it  proof  against  Swivels 
&  small  Artillery,  which  so  terrify  our  people.  I  laid  off 
the  Fort,  upon  the  simplest  plan  of  a  Quadrangle  & 
divided  the  work  equally  among  four  of  the  most  push- 
ing men,  with  a  Bastion  to  each  authorizing  them  to 
employ  workers  from  this  &  the  neighboring  Stations  & 
assuring  them  of  their  pay  myself.  On  the  Faith  of  such 
assurances  considerable  sums  of  money  have  been  lent 
&  advanced  to  the  workmen,  so  that  the  work  in  about 
20  Days  has  been  nearly  completed  in  a  workmanlike 
manner.  The  Gate  is  nearly  finished  &  the  magazine 
contracted  for.  The  whole  Expence  amounts  to  ii^ii,- 
341. 1  OS,  as  will  appear  by  the  account  herewith  Sent.  It 
is  in  vain  for  me  to  assure  your  Excellency  that  Diligence 
and  Economy  has  been  used  in  this  Business,  as  the  Work 
so  abundantly  proves  it.  I  believe  four  times  the  expence 
never  before  made  for  the  Publick  a  work  equal  to  this. 
An  Emulation  among  the  overseers,  &  Rewards  in  Liquor 
to  the  men  proved  powerful  Incentives  to  Industry. 
Being  a  charge  of  an  uncommon  nature,  I  thought  proper 
to  present  it  to  your  Excellency  &  the  Council,  being 
better  Judges  of  the  Necessity  &  Expediency  of  the  Work 
than  the  Auditors,  who  are  probably  unacquainted  with 
the  Circumstances  of  this  Country.  By  either  of  the 
Delegates  your  Excellency  may  have  an  opportunity  of 
transmitting  the  money — I  have  the  Honor  to  be,  with 
the  greatest  respect,  your  Excellency's  mo:  obedient  & 
humble  Servant. 


I  J 

% 


'I 


'f  I 


!f 


218 


EARLY   ILLINOIS. 


Board  of  Commissioners  to  Benjamin  Harrison, 

Governor  of  Virginia,  concerning  Col.  John 

Todd  Junior's  Accounts,  etc. 

From  the  original  in  the  State  Capitol  at  Richmond,  Va. 

Jefferson  County,  Feb.  17th,  1783. 

Sir: — The  Board  of  Commissrs.  wrote  the  23d  of  De- 
cember in  return  to  your  Excellency's  favours  of  Octobr. 
1 6th,  &  Novn.  4th.  In  compliance  with  your  orders,  we 
have  diligently  searched  all  the  papers  in  our  possession 
that  would  throw  light  on  the  nature  of  the  Bills  in  Mr. 
Pollock's  hands,  yet  remain  much  in  the  dark,  as  Colo. 
Todd's  books  &  accounts  are  suposed  by  the  Executor  to 
be  some  where  in  the  Interior  parts  of  Virginia,  and  he 
can  only  lay  before  us  some  detached  papers,  amongst 
which  we  find  a  letter  from  the  Exective,  dated  in  Coun- 
cil Williamsburg,  August  20,  1779.  In  which  the  Honble. 
the  Lt.  Governor,  acknowledges  the  receipt  of  several 
letters  from  Colo.  Todd  by  Colo.  Slaughter  of  the  ist  &  2d 
of  July,  1779,  which  were  laid  before  the  council  who  were 
pleased  with  the  contents,  and  approved  Colo.  Todd's  con- 
duct and  plan  for  supporting  the  credit  of  the  paper  money, 
but  that  it  must  be  submitted  to  the  assembly  who  alone 
can  give  it  efficacy.  That  the  eight  draughts  Colo.  Todd 
mentions  have  not  been  presented,  but  shall  be  duly 
attended  to,  as  the  gentlemen  to  whom  they  are  payable 
are  highly  desirous  of  the  grateful  attention  of  the  Gov- 
ernment. The  Board  likewise  found  a  Peltry  account 
amongst  Colo.  Todd's  papers,  by  which  it  appears  wc 
purchased  a  quantity  of  Peltry  from  Mr.  Beauregard  some 
time  in  the  fall  of  the  year  1779,  amounting  to  ;{^2 1,000, 
for  which  it  is  probable  he  drew  bills  to  the  amount.  The 
peltry  by  this  account  seems  to  be  paid  to  sundry  per- 
sons. Colo.  Montgomery's  certificate  &  information  to 
the  board,  likewise  accompanies  this.     On  the  whole  as 


JOHN-TODD   PAPERS. 


219 


no  bills  of  Colo.  Todd's  drawing  have  appeared  before  us, 
nor  are  mentioned  in  the  list  transmitted  to  us,  we  imagine 
the  bills  in  Mr.  Nathan's  possession  may  probably  be  for 
the  above  purchase,  but  as  we  are  not  favoured  either  with 
the  amount  or  date  of  these  bills,  and  no  direct  light  can 
be  got  here,  we  cannot  be  positive.  On  the  supposition 
that  the  bills  were  given  at  that  time  and  on  that  account, 
the  Commissioners  have  to  observe  that  210  packs  of 
Peltry  cost  the  state  2  livres  per  lb,  and  that  at  the  time  the 
purchase  was  made — Peltry  and  silver  were  nearly  on  a  par, 
as  it  appears.  Colo.  Todd  is  said  to  have  given  a  high 
price  for  the  Peltry,  allowing  three  livres  per  lb.,  which  is 
50  p.  ct.  higher  than  it  generally  is,  shews  the  purchase 
was  made  with  depreciated  paper  money,  at  a  little  more 
than  five  &  a  half  for  one,  if  the  Bills  in  question  were 
drawn  on  the  above  accounts  the  Commissers.  think  they 
should  be  taken  up  at  the  above  discount,  but  the  Board 
wish  to  refer  your  Excellency  to  Colo.  Todd's  letters  of 
the  I  &  2d  July,  1779,  which  we  suppose  lodged  in  the 
Council  chamber,  to  elucidate  the  affair,  as  we  can  not 
meet  with  copies  of  them. 

The  Board  have  finished  Capt.  George's  draughts  on 
Mr.  Pollock  in  favour  of  Capt.  Barbour,  but  not  thinking 
it  prudent  to  trust  the  papers  relative  thereto  by  this  con- 
veyance, they  hope  your  Excellency  will  dispcnce  with 
the  principles,  they  went  on  till  they  have  an  opportunity 
of  laying  the  papers  before  the  executive.  As  no  invoices 
were  produced  either  by  Capt.  George  or  Capt.  Barbour, 
the  Board  afiixed  the  prices  to  the  cargo  delivered  at  Fort 
Jefferson  from  the  best  lights  they  could  get,  at  seven 
thousand  five  hundred  &  Eighty  eight  Dollars,  one  liver  % 
as  the  prime  cost  at  New  Orleans,  on  which  the  Board 
allowed  two  hundred  &  twenty  five  p.  Ct.  advance  for  the 
cargo  delivered  at  Fort  Jefferson,  amounting  in  the  whole 
to  Twenty   four    thousand    six    hundred   and    sixty  one 

15-33-5 


m,'  y  •      ■■  "-1  ■  I   ■  T-W^"^ 


220 


EARLY   ILLINOIS. 


hi  . 


I! 


dollars  four  livers,  Six  sous,  Eight  deniers  including  all 
expenses.  We  have  not  yet  closed  Genl.  Clark's  accounts 
as  we  find  them  so  connected  with  the  other  accounts, 
both  the  Quarter  Master's  and  Commissary's  as  well  as 
the  officers,  that  we  could  not  finish  them  before  we  had 
a  general  view  of  the  whole,  we  will  be  able  to  settle  his 
in  ten  days.  To  examine  all  the  Accounts  minutely  will 
take  up  a  great  deal  of  time,  perhaps  more  than  the 
Executive  can  imagine,  as  double  receipts  have  always 
been  taken  for  sums  paid,  the  vouchers  require  to  be 
listed  alphabetically  to  prevent  double  entries.  None  of 
Mr.  Pollock's  bills  he  presented  for  payment  have  ap- 
peared before  the  board,  but  one,  of  Jan'y  1st,  1781,  for 
five  thousand  dollars  which  appears  to  be  for  part  of  the 
same  cargo  Capt.  George  purchased  from  Capt.  Barbour 
and  was  a  second  bill,  and  is  considered  as  part  of  24661, 
57^  allowed  as  above. 

By  depositions  it  appears  these  Bills  drawn  by  Wm. 
Lynn,  in  1778,  were  for  goods  purchased  by  Lynn  on  his 
own  acct.  at  Kaskaskias  &  Mesuri,  and  ought  not  to  be 
charged  to  the  state.  It  likewise  appears  that  Robt. 
Elliot's  draughts  and  the  invoices  of  goods  shiped  on 
Acct.  and  at  the  risk  of  the  United  States,  but  charged  to 
the  state  of  Virginia  by  Mr.  Pollock  was  in  consequence 
of  the  cargo  being  lost  in  the  Mississippi,  and  some  of 
the  articles  that  were  saved  from  the  wreck  being  made 
use  of  by  the  troops  in  the  Illinoise.  Inventories  of  the 
whole  cargo  and  what  was  saved  &  applied  to  the  use  of 
the  troops  are  copying,  but  as  we  have  not  fully  examined 
the  affair  we  defer  giving  our  opinion  in  it.  The  Board 
informed  your  I^xcellency  in  theirs  of  ye  Dec.  23,  that  an 
I'Lxpress  was  sent  to  Kaskaskias  to  which  they  had  a  re- 
turn last  evening,  informing  them  they  might  expect  some 
of  their  principle  inhabitants  would  wait  on  them  with  the 
unsettled  accounts,  &c.,  in  a  short  time.     Mr.  Carbonaux 


.•'y'ii.iifflaarii 


JOHN-TODD   PAPERS. 


22  I 


who  will  present  this,  is  one  of  the  inhabitants  of  Kaskas- 
kias  and  comes  to  get  some  private  affairs  settled  but  we 
suppose  him  principally  a  deputy  to  represent  the  confu- 
sion that  country  is  in,  which  if  not  settled  by  this  state, 
we  aprehend  he  will  proceed  to  Congress.     None  of  the 
post  mentioned  in  Your  Excellencys  favour  of  the   i6th 
of  Octr.  are  yet  erected.     The  general  we  expect  will  lay 
before  you  his  reasons  for  defcring  that  business,  an  ad- 
dress from  the  civil  and  Military  officers  of  Fayette  praying 
us  to  report  our  opinion  to  Government  accompanies  this. 
We  think  could  a  fort  be  erected  at  or  near  the  mouth 
of    Limestone  it   would   tend   greatly  to   encourage  the 
settling  of  that  country,  and  that  it  should  be  garrisoned 
by  a  company  of   regulars  aided  by  the  Militia,   &   fur- 
nished with  Flower  from   the  neighborhood  of  Pitsburg. 
When  we  get  a  little  more  through  the  business  we  will 
inform  your  Excellence  by  express  of  our   proceedings 
with  such    remarks  on    these  bills  which  have  been  pre- 
sented for  payment  and  are  not  laid  before  us  as  may  be 
necessary  for  the  Executive  to  have,  before  we  can  return 
our  whole  proceedings.     We  are  with  great  respect  your 
Excellencys.     Most  obed't  Humble  Servts. 

To  His  Exellence  WiLLM.  Flkminc;, 

The  Hon.  Benjamin  Harrison,  Esq.,   T.  Marsii.vll, 

Govr.  of  Virginia.  Caleb  Wallace' 


Col.  John  Montgomery  to  the  Hon.  the  Board  of 

Commissioners,  for  the  Settlement  of 

Western  Accounts/" 

?>om  " Calendar  of  Virginia  State  Papers,"  Vol.  Ill,  patje  441. 

February  22d,  1783,  New  Holland. 
Gentlemen: — As  I  am  sensible  that  many  reports  pre- 

*  As  the  leUers  of  Col.  Todd  of  Jan.  24,  1781,  and  of  Richard  Winston 
of  Oct.  24,  1780,  enclosed  therein,  both  printed  above,  rellect  severely  upon 


i 


.MMiUbidMiMliil 


222 


KARLY    ILMNOIS. 


1^ 

hi" 


judicial  to  my  character  hath  been  spread  by  persons  of 
an  Kvil  disposition,  and  perhaps  their  character  not  known, 
may  of  course  make  some  impression  on  you;  and  as  my 
accts,  are  now  on  the  carpit,  I  take  the  liberty  of  address- 
injT  this  short  narrative  to  you,  the  Contents  Being  an  un- 
deniable truth,  I  am  in  hopes  will  have  the  desired  effect 
and  disperse  any  suspitions  you  may  have,  originated  by 
these  Characters  alluded  to.  In  1777,  being  ordered  with 
my  Company  from  Wholstons  to  the  Kentucky  Countr)- 
for  its  defence,  I  remained  there  until  the  year  following, 
when  Col:  Clark  arrived  at  the  falls  of  the  Ohio  with  a 
body  of  Troops  on  his  way  to  the  Illinois.  I  Joined  him. 
and  on  the  presumption  of  our  being  Suckcessful,  it  was 
thought  prudent  to  Establish  a  small  Post  at  that  place 
for  the  conveniency  of  a  communication  between  the 
Illinois  and  Kentuckey  Countries,  after  which  we  set  out 
on  our  intended  enterprise,  and  met  with  all  the  suckcess 
we  could  wish  for,  principally  owing  to  the  secrecy  of  our 
movements,  after  remaining  in  that  country  untill  circum- 
stances appearantly  permited  our  Return,  I  came  of  with 
the  volunteers,  having  Instructions  from  Col:  now  Genl. 
Clark,  to  wait  on  his  Excellency  the  Governor  as  soon  as 
possiable  with  Letters  and  verbal  messages,  when  I  re- 
ceived Instructions  to  raise  three  hundred  men  and  Join 
Genl.  Clark  as  soon  as  possiable.  raising  the  greatest  part 
of  the  Troops,  I  proceeded  down  the  tennisse  river,  after 
.destroying  the  lower  Cherokee  Towns  in  concert  with  Col: 
Shelby's  division.     I    proceeded  on  my  rout  and  arrived 


Col.  Montgomery,  it  seems  l)Ut  just  to  print  also  this  letter  containing  hi- 
4efence.  John  Montgomery,  an  Irishman,  joined  Col.  Clark  at  the  Falls  of 
the  Ohio,  and  accompanied  him  on  his  expedition  to  the  Illinois.  He  com- 
manded the  garrison  of  the  fort  at  Kaskaskia  after  its  surrender  by  the  British, 
and  Aug.  5,  1779,  as  lieutenant-colonel  of  the  Illinois  battalion,  was  assigned 
to  the  military  command  of  the  Illinois  by  Ceorge  Rogers  Clark,  colonel  of 
the  Illinois  battalion  and  commander-in-chief  of  the  Virginia  forces  in  iIk 
western  department, — K.  c.  M. 


ssoisansesss^^ 


rsons  of 
known, 
1  as  my 
address- 
j  an  un- 
:;d  effect 
ated  by 
ed  with 
Counti)- 
)llovving, 
3  with  a 
jed  him, 
1,  it  was 
at  place 
een  the 
2  set  out 
suckcess 
y  of  our 
I  circum- 
;  of  with 
3W  Genl. 
5  soon  as 
len  I  re- 
and  Join 
test  part 
ver,  after 
,vith  Col : 
1  arrived 

utaining  lii> 
the  P'alls  (if 
He  com- 
the  British, 
vas  assigned 
,  colonel  of 
jrces  in  tin. 


^^m 


JOIIN-TODI)    I'APKKS. 


223 


at   Kaskaskia  the   29th  of    May,    1779.      an    Kxpedition 
being  already  planed,  or  rather  a  manouver  to  prevent  the 
l^Lnemy's  taking  the  Field  and  Distressing  the  Frontiers,  I 
was  ordered  to  conduct  the  Troops  by  water  to  St.  Vin- 
cent on  the  Wabash,  Genl:   Clark   crossing  by  Land   to 
to  that   post  with  a  small   escort,     the  appearance  of   a 
design  of  atacking  the  Enemy  on  the  Lakes  being  kept 
up  untill  the  aprentions  of  all  danger  of  their  attempting 
anything  Capital    that  Season  Vanished,  a  Garrison  was 
ordered  .to  be   left   at   St.  Vincenne.      The  body  of   the 
batalion  marched  back  to  the  Mississippi  to  Garrison  the 
Towns  Kaskaskia  and   Kohas.      Genl.  Clark  finding  the 
Public  interest  required  that  he  should  reside  at  the  Falls 
of  the  Ohio  until  provision  should  be  made  for  the  Insue- 
ing  Campaign,   I  was  ordered   to  take  command  of  the 
Troops  in  the  Illinois;  make  often  reports  of  the  State  of 
the  Department  to  Genl.  Clark,  and  to  be  carefull  to  have 
Expences  of  government  as  moderate  as  possible:  draw- 
ing bills  of  exchange  on  him  or  the  Treasury  of  Virginia 
for  the  payment  of  the  Expences  of  the  Troops,  studying 
the  general  Interest  of  the  State  and  Tranquility  of  the 
Inhabitants  of  the  Different  posts  leting  all  kind  of  opres- 
sions  be  the  last  shift:  this  is  the  Substance  of  orders  I 
received,     I  .set  out  for    Kaskaskia  the   14th  of   August, 
and  disposed  of   my  Troops  according  to  order,  drawing 
Bills  on  the  Treasurer  for  the  suport  of  the  Troops,  after 
some  time  the  Inhabitants  refused    to  Take   Bills  drawn 
any  other  way  than  on   Mr.  Pollock  of  New  Orleans  or 
the  Treasurer  addressed  to  both  which  I  was  necessitated 
to  do  or  suffer  my  troops  to  perish,  not  dareing,  from  the 
nature  of  my  Instructions  to  Impress  provisions,  if  to  be  got 
by  any  other  mains  on  moderate  Terms.    What  might  have 
been  Genl:  Clark's  views  for  giving  Such  orders  I  can't  acct. 
for  any  other  way  than  that  of  his  views  of  future  oppera- 
tions  being  such  that  he  suposed  it  to  be  our  interest  to 


iwmnwiiui       "        '  'I 


- — ^ 


f.l'  -^ 


224 


EARLY   ILLINOIS. 


'4 
1 4 


W: 


keep  the  Inhabitants  attached  to  us  by  Every  means  in 
our  power,  knowing  the  influence  they  had  over  the  minds 
of  a  great  number  of  Savage  Tribes.  My  Troops  suffered, 
as  the  credit  of  the  State  fell:  no  payment  being  made 
for  the  Bills  that  was  Drawn,  and  never  haveing  any  goods, 
or  other  property  in  my  possession  to  have  purchased  pro- 
visions, which  was  generally  in  Specie  notes,  which  the 
vouchers  to  my  accts.  will  best  show.  Bills  I  gave  cash, 
for  the  recruiting  Service  was  Depreciated,  it  required 
all  the  Industry  we  could  possiable  make  use  of  to  support 
ourselves,  by  hunting  Czc.  in  the  Spring  1780,  we  were 
threatened  with  an  Invasion.  Genl.  Clark  being  informed 
of  it  Hurreyed  his  departure  with  a  small  body  of  Troops 
to  the  Falls  of  the  mouth  of  the  Ohio,  when  he  receiving 
other  expresses  from  the  Spanish  Comm'dts  and  myself, 
luckily  joined  me  at  Cohos,  time  enough  to  save  the  coun- 
try from  Impending  ruin,  as  the  Enimy  appeared  in  great 
force  within  twenty  four  hours  after  his  arrival,  finding 
that  they  were  likely  to  be  disapointed  in  their  Design, 
they  retired  after  doing  some  mischief  on  the  Span'h 
Shore,  which  would  have  prevented,  if  unfortunately  the 
the  high  wind  had  not  prevented  the  signals  being  heard, 
in  a  few  days  a  number  of  prisoners  and  Disarters  left  the 
Enimy  Confirming  a  report  that  a  body  of  near  thousand 
P2nglish  and  Indian  Troops  ware  on  their  march  to  the 
Kentucky  Country  with  a  Train  of  artillery,  and  the 
Genl:  knowing  the  Situation  of  that  Country  appeared  to 
be  alarmed  and  resolved  to  attempt  to  Get  there  previous 
to  their  arrival,  at  the  same  time  he  Thought  it  necessary 
that  they  Enimy  was  retreating  up  the  Illinois  River, 
should  be  pursued  so  as  to  atact  their  Towns  about  the 
time  the  might  have  been  disbanded,  distress  them,  con- 
vince thein  that  we  would  retaliate  and  perhaps  prevent 
their  joining  the  British  Emisarys  again,  previous  to  my 
knowledge  of  the  above  Resolution  I  had  informed  Genl; 


.53i-;;iiva-iSii£Sii£i 


JOHN-TODD   PAPERS. 


225 


Clarke  of  my  Desire  of  Leave  of  absence  for  some  time, 
in  order  to  return  to  my  family,  it  was  then  he  informed 
me  of  his  resolution;  and  that  the  Publick  Interest  would 
not  permit  of  my  request  being  Granted,  that  I  must  take 
command  of  the  Expedition  to  Rock  River,  while  he 
would  attempt  to  interrupt  the  army  i  ^rching  to  Ken- 
tuckey,  and  if  they  got  them  before  him  Except  the 
weakened  the  country  too  much  he  would  raise  an  army 
and  atempt  t?  play  them  the  same  Game  in  the  Miami 
country,  as  he  hoped  I  would  go  towards  Miskelemacknor, 
and  if  we  Should  be  Tolerable  sucksessfuU  and  the  busi- 
ness properly  arranged,  I  might  absent  myself  for  four  or 
five  months  in  the  fall  or  winter,  after  Given  me  Instruc- 
tions he  left  Kohos  the  forth  of  June  with  a  small  Escort 
for  the  mouth  of  the  Ohio  on  his  rout  to  Kentuckey.  I 
immediately  proceeded  to  the  Business  I  was  order'd  and 
march'd  three  hundred  and  fifty  men  to  the  Lake  open  on 
the  Illinois  River,  and  from  thence  to  the  Rock  river. 
Destroying  the  Towns  and  crops  proposed,  the  Enimy  not 
Dareing  to  fight  me  as  the  had  so  lately  Been  Disbanded 
and  they  could  not  raise  a  sufficient  force,  after  return- 
ing, takeing  every  method  in  my  power  to  regulate  busi- 
ness, 1  was  resolved  to  return  home,  but  after  Deliberating 
some  time,  was  convinced  that  the  Risque  by  land  was 
Great  without  a  Guard,  which  our  circumstances  would 
not  admit  off,  and  that  I  could  posably  as  soon  or  sooner 
return  by  Water  than  land,  what  might  also  induce  me 
in  a  great  measure  to  Take  my  rout  by  Orleans,  was  the 
probability  of  Recovering  some  deserters  from  the  Span- 
ish Governor,  and  put  a  stop  to  that  pernicious  practice. 

which   I   in  a  crreat  measure  effected  as   that  Gentlemen 
•  '^  ..... 

appeared   willing  to  comply  with  any  proposition  in   Ins 

power  to  promote  our  interest,     finding  that  a  passage  to 

Virginia  was  not  expected  in  a  short  time,  I  resolved  to 

Return   Emediately,  and  according   to  my  resolution  set 


J 


226 


EARLY   ILLINOIS. 


out  on  the  fifteenth  of  March  and  returned  to  my  Com- 
mand the  first  day  of  May,  1781.  the  want  of  provisions 
obh'ged  us  to  Evacuate  Fort  Jefferson  the  Eight  of  June 
&  the  Genl  interest  required  my  attention  at  the  falls  of 
the  Ohio,  when  I  arrived  the  second  of  July  a  few  days 
before  Genl:  Clark,  on  my  return  from  New  Orleans,  I 
was  alarmed  to  find  by  some  letters  for  Genl:  Clark  seting 
forth  many  allagations  and  Instructions  in  consequence  to 
the  Comd's  of  Fort  Jeff"erson.  I  was  Emediately  con- 
vinced that  some  malicious  person  in  my  absence  had 
made  reports  much  to  my  prejudice  asserting  that  I  had 
made  large  purchases  pretendedly  for  the  State  and  appro- 
priated them  to  my  use,  which  is  a  palpable  falsity,  as  it 
is  well  known  that  I  never  attempted  anything  that  could 
give  the  least  suspicion  of  such  practices,  of  course  these 
reports  have  originated  from  false  Malitious  persons  so 
Common  in  the  Western  Country  and  so  apt  to  be  credited 
by  persons  that  ought,  and  would  despise  them,  could  the 
know  their  charactar.  You  are  sensible  how  fond  some 
perticular  classes  of  people  are,  of  spreading  reports  pre- 
judicial to  others,  a  low  charactor,  in  the  Eastern  part  of 
the  state,  he  fits  himself  out,  come  to  the  fronteers,  sup- 
poses on  his  rout,  that  although  of  an  Inferior  Class  in 
his  own  neighborhood  will  be  at  least  Equal  to  the  first  in 
the  Country  he  \  a  going  to  push  himself  into  Company 
and  perhaps  Gets  kicked  out,  and  Emediately  makes  a 
point  of  Exclaiming,  not  only  for  sake  of  Revenge,  but  is 
in  hopes  that  strangers  will  view  him  as  a  man  of  conse- 
quence, but  Sirs,  you  are  too  well  acquainted  with  the 
world  to  make  it  necessary  for  me  to  say  ivnything  more 
on  the  Subject  of  such  Characters.  I  flatter  myself  that 
you  will  at  least  find,  that  too  great  credit  have  been  paid 
to  party  reports,  and  that  officers  zealous  in  the  interest 
of  their  Country,  that  have  sacrifised  their  all  for  it,  have 
suffered  by  those  very  men,  who  not  having  virtue  enough 


10HN-TODD    PAPERS. 


'y> 


27 


to  step  forth  in  its  Defence,  have  maid  their  fortunes  under 
the  banner  of  those  ofticers  they  wish  to  Destroy,  no 
person  but  those  that  have  been  witne.sses  can  have  a  just 
idea  of  the  adress  and  Fatigues  that  it  hath  required  to 
suport  this  Department  that  have  been  the  Salvation  of 
all  our  frontiers,  and  saved  much  blood  and  Treasure, 
always  Labouring  under  every  Kind  of  Difficualty,  the 
the  want  of  men,  money  and  provision,  and  havcing  not 
only  to  Counteract,  the  designs  of  a  Powerful  savage 
Tribe,  incouraged  by  British  Emissaries  and  others  Equally 
Dangerous  to  the  State.  A  duty  I  owe  myself  and  Coun- 
try require  that  I  should  give  you  every  information  in  my 
pow^r  which  will  always  give  me  pleasure,  whenever  you 
call  on  me, 

I  am  Gent,  with  every  sentiment  of  respect  Your  very 
( Hjedient  Servant. 


Thomas  Jefferson  to  Colonel  Todd:'' 

From  "Canadian  Archives,"  .Series  2,  Vol.  17,  p.  125. 

WiLLTAMSBUKd,  March  19th,  1780. 

Sir: — Your  Letter  from  the  falls  of  Ohio,  of  Dec.  23d, 
came  safely  to  hand.  You  mention  therein  that  you  have 
not  in  a  twelvemonth  received  any  Letters  from  hence,  I 
know  not  what  were  written  before  the  ist  of  June  last, 
but  since  that  time  I  have  written  several  to  you. 

The  Expences  attending  the  support  of  our  Troops  in 
the  Illinois  has  obliged  us  to  call  them  all  to  the  -y^aih. 
side   of    the   Ohio,   where   our    paper    money   is   current. 

*  The  originals  of  this  letter  and  one  of  the  same  date  written  by  rhom.is 
JelTerson  to  (leorge  Rogers  Clark  were  intercepted  on  their  way  to  the  West, 
and  sent  to  Major  de  Peyster,  the  British  commandant  at  Detroit.  He  for- 
warded them  to  Cen.  llaldimand  at  (^)iiel)ec,  who  acknowledged  their  leceipt 
July  6,  1780  and  forwarded  them  to  the  Home  (iovurnmeat.  — "Canadian  Ar- 
chives, Haldimand  Collection." — E.  (;.  M. 


siesjfi 


J 


228 


EARLY   ILLINOIS. 


Hard  money  is  not  to  be  got  here,  and  we  find  the  diffi- 
culty of  sending  commodities  to  New  Orleans,  very  great. 
The  Draughts  from  yourself  and  Colonel  Clarke  on  Pol- 
lock, those  presented  us  by  Le  Gras  and  Lintot,  others 
for  about  50,000  Dollars  presented  by  a  Mr.  Nathan  from 
the  Havannah,  who  took  them  up  at  New  Orleans,  being 
all  claimed  in  hard  money  or  commodities  at  the  hard 
money  price,  have  rendered  us  bankrupt  there — for  we 
have  no  means  of  paying  them. 

Mr.  Brusegard's  bill  for  30,000  dollars  will  be  on  a  foot- 
ing with  these.     We  will  accept  it.    Promise  payment,  and 

make  it,  — as  soon  as  we  shall  be  able.     We  have 

no  bank  in  France,  or  any  other  Foreign  Place.  There 
being  an  absolute  necessity  of  obtaining  from  New  Orle- 
ans supplies  of  clothing  and  military  stores  for  Colonel 
Clarke's  men,  we  shall  endeavour  that  our  Board  of  Trade 
shall  send  commodities  there  for  that  purpose.  But  to 
prevent  the  injury  and  disgrace  of  protested  bills,  we  think 
that  in  future  all  bills  must  be  drawn  by  them,  in  which 
case  they  will  take  care  to  make  previous  provision,  for 
their  payment. 

I  am  therefore  to  desire  you  hereafter  to  notify  to  us 
your  wants^  which  shall  be  provided  for  as  far  as  we  are 
able,  by  bills  from  the  Board  of  Trade,  sent  to  you  or  to 
New  Orleans. 

Provisions  and  all  other  articles,  which  our  Country 
affords,  will  be  sent  on  the  south  side  of  the  Ohio. 

I  must  beg  the  favor  of  you  to  send  me  a  list  of  all  the 
bills  you  have  at  any  time  drawn  on  us,  specifying  where 
they  are  drawn  in  dollars,  whether  silver  or  paper  dollars 
were  intended,  and  if  paper,  at  what  rate  of  depreciation 
they  were  estimated ;  the  known  price  of  commodities  in 
hard  money  or  peltry  will  servo  you  as  a  standard  to  Uk 
the  rate  of  depreciation. 

We  cheerfully  exert  ourselves  to  i)ay  our  debts,  as  far 


i«57!r;r.Ky;;"-'t,'.'"i' 


HHB^iS 


JOHN-TODD   PAPERS. 


229 


as  they  are  just,  but  we  are  afraid  of  imposition,  for  which 
the  rapid  progress  of  depreciation  has  furnished  easy- 
means — yourself  alone  &  Colonel  Clarke  can  guard  us 
against  this  by  timely  and  full  information  in  what  man- 
ner your  several  draughts  ought  in  justice  to  be  paid. 

I  am  sorry  you  think  of  resigning  your  office  in  the 
Illinois,  the  withdrawing  our  troops  from  thence  will  ren- 
der the  presence  of  a  person  of  established  authority 
more  essential  than  ever. 

Your  complaints  concerning  your  allowance  we  think 
too  well  grounded  and  will  lay  them  before  the  Assembly 
in  May,  who  we  doubt  not  will  remove  them,  the  other 
objections,  I  am  in  hopes  you  can  get  over. 

It  would  give  us  much  concern  should  any  necessity 
oblige  you  to  leave  that  Country  at  all,  and  more  especi- 
ally so  early  as  you  speak  of.  I  am  Sir,  with  great  esteem 
your  most  humble'servant.     [Signed,]   Thos.  JEFFERSON. 

To  Colonel  Todd. 

[Endorsed:]  Copy  of  a  Letter  from  Mr.  Jefferson  to. 
Col.  Todd,  dated  at  Williamsburg,  March  19th,  1780. 

In  Govr.  Haldimand's  No.  57. 


FERGUS'    HISTORICAL    SERIES,    N-v    33. 

rtnous  poiNTiNS  companv,  chicaqo. 


1 


